Return To Genesis
by Sam Fisher 007
Summary: Star Trek III AU. Inspired by the Star Trek: Myriad Universes series, this is an alternate take on The Search For Spock of a Romulan commander destroyed Kruge's starship and took control of Genesis, wanting nothing more than to restore his home planet of Zeulas. Co-written with Tom Smith/Editingsithlord. Main characters: Kirk/Maricus (OC Villain).
1. I Lata Arham Urri, E'Lev

The Romulan opera that is mentioned in the novel, "_I Lata Arham Urri, E'Lev." _[To Death I Go, My Love], is the fictional story of the young Aev Ralaa, a Romulan soldier who leaves his lover to go fight in the Romulan-Vulcan War. Throughout the opera Aev knows death will finally catch him "under the raptor's wing." and take him away forever. Towards the end of the opera Aev is given a mission, that is clearly a suicide mission, he accepts it and is killed a Vulcan soldier. But the young Vulcan soldier makes the mistake of mind melding of him, in order to understand what motivated Aev. The Vulcan is then moved by emotion to find Aev's love, Sienae, and tell her of Aev's passion for her. The ending of the opera has the Vulcan moved by emotion to mind meld with another so that Aev's love for Sienae will never die but continue through all the ages of galaxy.


	2. Dramatis PersonaeDisclaimer

**Acknowledgements**

We would like to thank all the authors of the _Star Trek _novels who have given us great background information to use, especially Vonda Mcintyre for her novelization of _The Search for Spock. _We also would like to thank Harve Bennett for the original title used in this fan fiction, _Return to Genesis, _as well as the idea of the Romulans as the villains (which is actually the first thing that got us into writing this story). Thanks to all the people who were involved in making the film, "_The Search for Spock." _Thanks to the people who made and , who made it possible for us to quick reference many different facts in _Star Trek_.

And of course, thanks to Gene Roddenberry, for giving us a future in which to play in.

**Historian's note: **While this is a _Myriad Universe_ story, this story takes place in the year 2285. This places it immediately after the events in _Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan_. It is an alternate take on the story of the film _Star Trek III: The Search for Spock._

**Disclaimer: **_Star Trek _and all of its established characters, ships, settings, story lines, etc., belong to their rightful owners.

**Dramatis Personae**

**U.S.S. **_**Enterprise**_

**James T. Kirk, **_**commander of the U.S.S. Enterprise **_**(Human Male)**

**Leonard McCoy, **_**chief medical officer **_**(Human Male)**

**Montgomery "Scotty" Scott, **_**chief engineer **_**(Human Male)**

**Hikaru Sulu, **_**helmsman **_**(Human Male)**

**Pavel Chekov, **_**acting science officer **_**(Human Male)**

**Nyota Uhura, **_**communications officer **_**(Human Female)**

**I.R.W. **_**Karzan**_

**Maricus, **_**commander of the I.R.W. Karzan **_**(Romulan Male)**

**T'omake, **_**sub-commander of the I.R.W. Karzan **_**(Romulan Male)**

**Dartha, **_**chief science officer **_**(Romulan Female)**

**T'Linz, **_**centurion**_** (Romulan Male)**

**Decessus, **_**tactical officer **_**(Romulan Male)**

**S'Talon, **_**chief of security **_**(Romulan Male)**

**Ral'k, **_**chief engineer **_**(Romulan Male)**

**Others**

**Saavik, **_**science advisor on U.S.S. Grissom **_**(Vulcan/Romulan Female)**

**David Marcus, **_**scientist for Project Genesis **_**(Human Male)**

**Sarek, **_**ambassador**_** (Vulcan Male)**

**J.T. Esteban, **_**captain of U.S.S. Grissom **_**(Human Male)**

**Lawrence Styles, **_**captain of**_** U.S.S. **_**Excelsior**_** (Human Male)**

**Thelin th'Valrass, **_**captain of U.S.S. Saratoga **_**(Andorian **_**Thaan**_**-Male)**


	3. Prologue

"_**Oh, that I could see your face again,**_

_**with the smile that lights Romulas and Remus.**_

_**I would give anything to see it,**_

_**break every rule, every code,**_

_**and throw all of my honor away.**_

_**I would gladly do so, to be in your arms again;**_

_**to be home again in the beauty of Romulas…"**_

_**-Aev Ralaa,**_

In the Romulan opera**, "**_**I Lata Arham Urri, E'Lev."**_

_** [To Death I Go, My Love]**_

_**"I've done far worse than kill you…**_

_**I've hurt you…**_

_**and I wish to go on hurting you."**_

_**-Khan Noonien Singh**_

**2285**

**Prologue**

The _U.S.S. Enterprise_ (NCC-1701) limped slowly towards Earth to receive her much-needed repairs, having taken a heavy hit from the genetically engineered super human, Khan Noonien Singh. In the bridge of the _Constitution-_class vessel, Admiral James Tiberius Kirk sat the command chair.

_Not his_,he knew._ Spock's._

The death of his former science officer and then-captain still ran through Kirk's mind, as it did for every single crew member aboard this ship.

Kirk would never forget those moments...

_He rushed through the hallways of his ship upon noticing Spock's science station was empty._ _He trudged into the engine room, and made his way down one of the many ladders, and then he noticed Spock curled up across the floor of the ship's warp core. By instinct, Kirk took off toward the warp core's entrance in a futile effort to save his best friend. But he was, instead, stopped by the strong arms of Montgomery "Scotty" Scott and Leonard "Bones" McCoy._

"_NO!" shouted Bones. "You'll flood the whole compartment!"_

"_He'll die…!" Kirk told them._

"_Sir, he's dead already…" Scotty said._

_"Spock!" Kirk knew nothing could be done. But Spock stood up and walked over to him with all the dignity and grace of a Starfleet officer…. and of a Vulcan._

_"The ship...out of danger?" Spock asked._

_"Yes." Kirk couldn't believe this was happening._

_"Don't grieve, Admiral. It is logical. The needs of the many outweigh…"_

_"…the needs of the few…" It was really happening! And no power in the universe could Kirk use to stop it._

_"…or the one. I never took the Kobayashi Maru test…until now. What do you think of my solution?" Logical to the end…but somehow still human…_

_"Spock…"_

_"I have been and always shall be your friend." Spock held up his hand in the Vulcan salute and said, "Live long and prosper." and with that he was gone forever…_

_"No…."_

He remembered the funeral of the fallen officer:

_In the mighty starship's torpedo bay the entire crew formed up at 0800 hours. While Lieutenant Saavik manned the torpedo firing control, Admiral Kirk entered with his former lover, Doctor Carol Marcus, and their son, David. Commander Uhura, Mr. Sulu, Scotty, Chekov and McCoy watched Kirk as he stood before the assembly of the _Enterprise's_ crew._

He remembered giving the speech he'd hoped never to give:

_"We have assembled here today," he began, "in accordance with Starfleet traditions, to pay final respects to one of our own. To honor our dead…" he paused for several minutes as grief began to hit him._

"_And to grieve for a beloved comrade who gave his life in place of ours. He did not think his sacrifice a vain or empty one, and we cannot question his choice, in these proceedings."_

_Kirk noticed McCoy attempting to keep from breaking down. It failed, tears streaked down from his eyes remembering this fallen officer._

"_He died in the shadow of a new world, a world he hoped to see, he lived just long enough to know it had come in to being."_

_There was another silent, yet sad pause._

"_Of my friends, I can only say this: of all the souls I have encountered, his was the most-"Kirk searched for the proper term as he, too, was consumed with grief._

"_Human…"_

"_Honors…hut!" Kirk heard his helmsman speak this solemnly._

_Every crew member saluted as _"Amazing Grace" _echoed throughout the bay. The torpedo that withheld Spock's remains slowly coursed through the launch area. The dark coffin entered the launch tube. The launch tube shut._

_The beautiful Vulcan Saavik nodded to the torpedo officer, who hesitantly hit the button that propelled Spock's coffin to the planet below._

Kirk would never be the same, as he remembered those moments; he noticed just how empty the bridge felt without Spock. He was sure every other officer knew this as well. He just couldn't sit in the command chair, _not his, Spock's. _He got out of the chair and then stared at the viewscreen into the stars. He waited as the _U.S.S. Enterprise _limped to Starbase One over Earth.


	4. Returning Home

**Chapter 1: Returning Home**

_**U.S.S. Enterprise**_

"_U.S.S. _Enterprise_, Captain's Personal Log: With most of our battle damage repaired we are almost home. Yet I feel uneasy, and I wonder why... Perhaps it's the emptiness of this vessel? Most of our trainee crew have been reassigned; Lieutenant Saavik and my son, David are exploring the Genesis planet, which he helped create; and _Enterprise_ feels like a house with all the children gone. No...more empty even than that. The death of Spock is like an open wound. It seems I have left the noblest part of myself back there on that newborn planet._"

Kirk began to pace about the bridge. Mainly he was focused on the empty chair of the science station. He turned to Sulu, "Status, Mr. Sulu?" Sulu turned to him, "On course Admiral. Estimating Spacedock in two point one hours." He didn't hesitate or say anything else, he seemed the least effected by Spock's death, but Kirk knew that wasn't true, Sulu just remained professional on the bridge. Kirk knew he would be just as professional on the bridge of his own ship. After returning to the starbase, he was, in fact, due for promotion and a transfer to the _Excelsior. He'll make a fine captain, like Spock. _Spock, Spock, Spock…he just couldn't get him out of his thoughts. Kirk turned to Chekov, "Mr. Chekov, I need pre-approach scan…take the science station please." Kirk always remembered Spock trying to be Chekov's tutor; many times he saw the two of them at the science station during Kirk's original five year mission. _But that was the past…_"Yes, sir" he heard Chekov say as he went over to the empty chair. "Uhura, any response from Starfleet on our _Project: Genesis _inquiries?" Kirk asked. "No, sir, no response." Uhura had remained very quiet over the past few days, understandably. _Spock had a will made, and he kindly left his Vulcan harp to her. _Kirk did note the strangeness of Starfleet's silence; he had sent a full report several weeks ago right after the battle of the Mutara Nebula. "Very odd…" He pressed the comm button for engineering, "Scotty, progress report?" He heard Scotty's all too familiar Scottish accent over the comm, "I'm almost done, sir. You'll be fully automated by the time we dock." Scotty was keeping busy with repairing the _Enterprise _so not to think too much about Spock, at least not until they reached Earth. "Your timing is excellent, Mr. Scott. You've fixed the barn door after the horse has come home. How much refit time till we can take her out again?" Kirk inquired. "Eight weeks sir." _Eight weeks! That will be too long to think about the events of these past few weeks. _Kirk was about to reply but Scotty broke in before he could utter a word. "But you don't have eight weeks so I'll it for ya in two." _Scotty, always trying to be the miracle worker. _

"Mr. Scott, have you always multiplied your repair estimates by a factor of four?"

"Certainly, sir. How else can I keep my reputation as a miracle worker?"

"Your reputation is secure, Scotty." Kirk turned off the comm and turned to Sulu, "Mr. Sulu, take the con. I'll be in my quarters."

"Aye sir."

Kirk began to leave the bridge when he heard a voice say, "Sir…I was wondering…" He turned and saw Cadet Foster standing behind him. Foster was one of last cadets that had remained on the ship since the battle with Khan. He had been through a lot, considering the original mission he had been on was just a training cruise, but he had performed admirably during the crises. _So did many others, but they didn't get to go home. _Kirk thought as his memory went to Peter Preston, Scotty's nephew, who had died in the first attack made by Khan. "Are they planning a ceremony when we get in…I mean a reception…?" Foster inquired. Kirk knew Foster meant no disrespect for the men and women who had died, he was young, and was glad to be home. "A hero's welcome, son? Is that what you'd like?" Foster smiled. "Well, God knows there should be. This time we paid for the party with our dearest blood." Kirk said and turned without even looking at Foster's reaction. He entered the turbolift and doors closed. They opened again and Carol Marcus walked in. "Good morning Jim." She said warmly as she entered. "Hello Carol." He replied and smiled at her.

"I'm already missing David."

"I know what you mean. I have so much I would like to talk to him about."

"Jim, what about us?"

"Yes, us. I think…" Kirk started to say as he put his arms around her, "That we should go back to my quarters, pour ourselves up some wine and act like we were when we first met."

Carol laughed, "Oh, Jim, stop it. It sounds like fun, it really does. But can we really forget the past?"

"Worth a shot I say."

"Because of Spock?"

Kirk did know how to reply to that. He let go of her and turned around to face the door. "Carol, I…"

"Don't worry. We can talk about it in a few days after we're on Earth again. I'll meet you at our bench."

Kirk turned and looked at Carol. She was smiling at him. Her smile sent him back in time for a moment. "I would like that Carol."

"It's a date then." She told him and she stepped out of the turbolift. Kirk's mind returned back to what she had said about Spock. He wondered if he really was trying to run away from his memories of Spock's death. He was nearly on the verge of tears, Spock's death had hit everyone hard, and everyone had shown signs of it for the past few days, except McCoy. Recently Dr. McCoy had said nothing to anyone for the past few days. To Kirk, that was very strange…very strange indeed...


	5. The Road To Revenge

**Chapter 2: The Road to Revenge**

**Romulan War Eagle**

_**I.R.W. Karzan**_

_"Death is a natural part of life" _That is what most of the galaxy believed, Humans, Vulcans, Klingons, Romulans, Gorn, Tholians, Andorians…all of them.

_Well, some meet death far too soon, and for most it isn't right that they don't experience all of what life has to offer…_

Romulan CommanderMaricus sat in his command chair brooding. He was a shell of the man he had once been. The pride of Romulas some had said once about him. He was one of the best officers in the fleet, but he had also refused promotion as he wished to stay in command of a starship. For his heroism during the 2260's and 2270's, he had received many medals for bravery and courage. He also was given the _Karzan, _a Romulan War Eagle named for a praetor dead long ago. But after the _Sansu _Virus had been unleashed by Romulan terrorists on his homeworld of _Zeulas_,he was a shattered man. The Romulan government had had to quarantine the entire planet as it slowly began to die. Maricus' wife and daughter were on the planet when the bombs containing the virus had been detonated and they both died in only a few months. After one whole year the entire planet was just another dead rock in space. The terrorists had been killed in the following year; Maricus had personally hunted them down all over the Empire. Now the revenge was over; it was now the time to rebuild. Maricus was very pleased that the praetor had allowed him the chance to steal the secrets of the Genesis device. His orders were quite clear as he looked at his viewscreen. He had received his orders directly from the praetor himself in the Hall of Senate, but he also had been given a message packet to read to his officers. He read the message one last time:

**COMMANDER MARICUS, COMMANDER OF THE I.R.W. **_**KARZAN**_

**YOU ARE HEREBY ORDERED TO RETRIEVE THE PLANS TO THE FEDERATION'S **_**"PROJECT GENESIS". **_**IT IS BELIEVED THAT THIS DEVICE, WHICH HAS THE ABILITY TO GENERATE LIFE ON DEAD PLANETS, CAN BE USED AS DEADLY WEAPON TO DESTORY ALL LIFE ON AN INHABITED PLANET. AFTER WHAT HAS HAPPENED RECENTLY WITH THE LAST OF THE **_**SANSU **_**VIRUS, WE DO NOT WISH ANOTHER CATASTROPHE TO OCCUR. YOU WILL TAKE THE I.R.W. **_**KARZAN, **_**AND PROCEED TO THE ROMULAN/KLINGON/FEDERATION TRI-BORDER ZONE. ROMULAN INTELLGENCE HAS RECEIVED INFORMATION THAT INDICATES THAT KLINGON VESSEL IS HEADING TO THE BORDER TO RENDEZVOUS WITH A CIVILIAN VESSEL, WHICH IS COMING FROM FEDERATION SPACE. THAT VESSEL APPARENTLY HAS OBTAINED THE PLANS TO THE DEVICE. YOU WILL DO WHATEVER IS NESESSARY TO OBTAIN THESE PLANS. ONCE YOU HAVE THE PLANS, YOU IMMEDIATELY WILL RETURN TO ROMULAS. YOU ARE, OF COURSE, ALLOWED TO CHOOSE YOUR OFFICERS AND CREW FOR THIS MISSION. YOU LAUNCH IN FIVE DAYS.**

**JOLAN TRU, COMMANDER.**

**FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PRAETOR OF THE ROMULAN EMPIRE**

_I will make things right my love. _His thoughts were still on his dead wife, Titiana. He was following his orders, but only to a point. _Titiana, I have to do this, I have never broken or disobeyed any orders given to me. But I am going to now, but I'm doing this for you, and Livia. I miss you both so much, and I never would do this if you and Livia were still alive, but the government doesn't care what happened to Zeulas. Even when I exposed the treachery of Commander Servius, they didn't care. They only cared about covering up that the terrorists had a military officer helping them. For all I'm about to do; I do for you, Zeulas, and Livia. If I do wrong…please, find it in your heart…to forgive me. _ Maricus thought to himself. He thought the same thing when the _Karzan _had left Romulas. He knew his officers and crew would support his decisions as he picked them all because of one thing they had in common. They all were born and raised on Zeulas. "Commander, the mercenary ship has arrived." reported T'omake, his sub-commander.

"Good, wait for them to make the transfer before attacking."

"Sir, the Klingons have not arrived yet."

"Oh, they're here, I know…I know." Maricus said while rubbing his hand through his dark hair. He had noticed it had been going gray in some places.

_**S.S. Merchantman**_

The _Merchantman _drifted through the system. Valkris knew it was time, she knew what would have to be done. "Steady, steady boys. Keep scanning." The captain told his crew. He then turned to Valkris, his strange Klingon passenger. "I thought you people were reliable. Where the hell is he?" "He's been here for some time. Put me on hailing frequency." The captain did as she asked. "Commander Kruge, this is Valrkis." she said on the communications, looking at the viewscreen that showed only empty space. "[I have purchased the Genesis data. Ready to transmit.]" Valkris knew that was a very long story of very long spy network pipeline. She was just another link in the chain; she wasn't even sure who first stole the data in the first place. Suddenly a voice responded to her hail. "Well done Valkris, well done. [Disengage cloaking device!]" the voice said. "What the hell is that!?" said the captain as he saw a Klingon Bird of Prey de-cloak in front of his ship. Valkris remained silent. Soon her family's honor would be restored. The honor of Klingon family came before everything else. Even over one's own life.

**Klingon Bird-of-Prey**

_**I.K.S. B'Rel**_

Kruge sat in the bridge of his ship as the ship de-cloaked. _Valkris better be quick. _Kruge thought to himself. He was not a Klingon who liked to wait while this close to the Romulan border. Maltz, Kruge's second in command, also hated waiting, but he hated worse that creature that Kruge called a pet. Maltz slowing moved over to Kruge, on the opposite side from the animal, Kruge looked on the viewscreen at the ship that carried Valkris; he always had enjoyed her company but he suspected why she had agreed to this mission. "[Transmit the data. Now!]" He said coldly.

_**Merchantman**_

Valkris punched in the data tape and only seconds later all the files on _Project: Genesis _were being transmitted.

_**Karzan**_

"Intercept and copy that data now Sub-Commander!" ordered Maricus.

The data went from one ship to another and neither the _B'Rel, _nor the _Merchantman _detected the _Karzan_'s interception of the data.

_**B'Rel**_

Now Kruge had to ask the question which he dreaded. "[Have you seen the data]?" Kruge asked.

_**Merchantman**_

"[I have, my lord]"." Valkris replied quietly.

_**B'Rel**_

She had done it. She knew his orders were to erase all evidence of mission, and by her action of looking at the data meant she had to be silenced. But that was her wish, and she wanted him to do it. Kruge sat in his chair for a moment deciding whether or not to destroy the ship.

_**Merchantman**_

_He has to do it! He must! _Valkris tapped the intercom button. "[My Lord, you know what must be done.]"

_**B'rel**_

Kruge replied, "[Unfortunate.]"

_**Merchantman**_

"[Understood.]", Valkris said in a whisper.

_**B'rel**_

Kruge turned to his gunner, "[Fire.]" and then he closed his eyes.

_**Merchantman**_

"What is happening? You will explain!" the captain of the _Merchantman _demanded, but Valkris did not reply, she only stared at the Klingon ship as it fired. _Success my lord…and my love._

_**B'rel**_

Kruge opened his eyes only to see only a fireball where the _Merchantman_ had been. _You have your family's honor restored, Valkris, you will be remembered with honor. _Kruge turned to Maltz, "[Engage cloaking device and set new course, Federation neutral zone.]"

_**Karzan**_

"Their shields are down, Commander." T'omake informed Maricus. Maricus looked at the viewscreen and then said without any feeling or emotion, "Destroy them."

The _Karzan_ de-cloaked and fired two plasma torpedoes at the Klingon vessel.

_**B'rel**_

"[My Lord, a Romulan vessel has de-cloaked and is firing on us!]", Maltz said frantically. "[Raise shields!]", ordered Kruge. "[I CAN'T!]" Maltz exclaimed as he typed on the control console. The ship had already engaged the cloaking device. There was no way to raise the shields. Kruge stood up from his chair realizing he was helpless. _We have just handed to the Romulans, _Project: Genesis_! Oh, Valkris…what have we done?!_

As the ship exploded around him, Kruge wondered if he would be joining Valkris in _Sto-Vo-Kor._

_**Karzan**_

The first torpedo crippled the Klingon vessel; the second left nothing but small pieces of it. "Excellent work T'omake. Have Dartha begin studying the files." Maricus ordered. "Yes, Commander." replied T'omake. "And set a course to Federation space." He noticed Livius, his communications officer, stir at that command. T'omake knew those were not the orders given by the praetor, but he knew what Maricus was planning. "It will be done, Commander." Maricus left the bridge and walked down the hallway to his quarters. _Soon my love, soon our home will be lush and beautiful again, a place of peace and beauty. Soon, very soon, and whatever the price will be to obtain it, I will accept it. _The _Karzan_ continued its way silently through the stars, towards Federation space.


	6. Home Again

**Chapter 3: Home Again**

_**Enterprise**_

Doctor Leonard McCoy handled Spock's death no better than the rest of the crew, and no worse. He sat at his desk, in sickbay. He noticed Doctor Christine Chapel walk back into the room, carrying some reports she had been filing. "You're still here?" she asked him. "Yes, shouldn't sickbay be where a doctor should be."

"I guess so, but you're overworked. Get some rest."

"I don't want rest. I want to be able to talk to that green blooded Vulcan!"

"Doctor! You…" she stopped suddenly when she noticed the bottle on his desk. _He's been drinking again. He's gonna kill himself at this rate. _She composed herself and spoke again, "Doctor McCoy…Leonard…please, go and get some sleep."

He smiled at her. Put the bottle in his desk drawer and said, "You're right. It's not logical to stay up anymore tonight."

"Why did you say that?"

"What, I only said it's foolish to stay up anymore tonight."

"That's not what you…oh, never mind. Goodnight doctor."

"Goodnight…Christine." He knew she wanted sometime alone, she had always had feelings for Spock, so she was probably the most upset about his death.  
He exited the sickbay in silence, except for the hum of the ship's engines. Then he noticed something peculiar, he began feeling dizzy, for one. And two, he was hearing Spock's voice in his head.

_Remember…_

_It's only your imagination, Leonard…it's only your-_

He noticed he was standing in front of Spock's cabin. It shouldn't have provoked any interest in him, yet he found himself, strangely enough, limping in the direction. He tried walking away, but it seemed as though the cabin was _pulling_ him in its direction. Try as he might, he was simply refusing to walk away.

_Damn, Spock, why is your cabin reeling me in…?_

He raised a hand, touched the cabin's door.

_Remember…_

Then he found himself searching for a means to open it…

After what seemed like an eternity, the _Enterprise _had arrived over Earth. The starship entered the planet's orbit, and then slowly banked in the direction of Starbase One. In her bridge, Commander Hikaru Sulu manned the helm.

Starbase One filled the viewscreen. Kirk felt a brief wave of nostalgia.

_Just like returning from our original five-year mission, the only person missing is…_

He pushed that thought aside.

From behind him, Sulu heard Uhura address the docking controller.

"Approach control, this is _Enterprise_, ready for docking maneuvers."

The female controller's voice filled the bridge.

"_Enterprise is cleared to dock."_

"Lock on." said Admiral Kirk.

The cadet beside Sulu complied.

The bridge dimmed, and Sulu guided the ship to the starbase's doors.

"Systems locked," he spoke up.

The station's tractor beam took hold of the ship, and Sulu sat back in his chair.

Kirk continued, "Spacedock, you have control."

"_Affirmative, _Enterprise. _Enjoy the ride, and welcome home."_

"_Enterprise _confirms…"

_Starship Enterprise _eased slowly into the spacedock, guided by the station's landing lights. There was minimal activity inside, only the occasional shuttle would speed past, a few mechanics in spacesuits reporting for duty, and docking controllers going about their business as the ship entered. Only two other major starships populated the dock, and Admiral Kirk recognized them both instantly. One was the U.S.S._ Kongo _(NCC-1710), another _Constitution-_class vessel, which was under the command of Captain Phillip Kosnett. It had been docked for several weeks undergoing a refit of her engines. But the ship Kirk mostly noticed was the one right ahead of him. The ship ahead was a new design from the drawing boards, with a saucer section similar to the _Enterprise's _own, but her engine room and deflector array were positioned directly below, with the twin warp nacelles positioned closer to the bridge. It appeared she could overtake the _Enterprise._ Kirk heard Uhura speak behind him.

"Would you look at that," She said with joy as the massive ship filled the viewscreen.

"My friends, the great experiment," he said, sharing the joy. "The _Excelsior…"_

Beneath the white disk of her saucer were the words, _U.S.S. Excelsior, NX-2000._

"Ready for trial runs."

Sulu marveled her design, "She's supposed to have transwarp drive…"

It was now Scotty's turn, "Aye…and if my grandmother had wheels, she'd be a wagon…"

"Come, come, Mr. Scott. Young minds, fresh ideas, be tolerant."

Scott shrugged; he would not allow himself to be pulled into an argument.

The _Enterprise _glided past another control tower. In the station's headquarters, staff and civilians alike stood up in surprise as the battle-scarred ship slowly inched to her position beside the _Excelsior._

Admiral Kirk sat in silence for a few seconds before he said, "Stand by, umbilical and gravitational support systems."

Sulu responded, "Aye, sir, moorings activated; all systems standing by."

Then he saw Commander Chekov turn around in his chair.

"Admiral," he addressed Kirk, "This is not possible."

"Mr. Chekov?"

"An energy reading…from C-deck, inside Meester Spock's quarters."

_What the hell? _Kirk thought. "I ordered Mister Spocks's quarters sealed."

"Yes, sir," Chekov continued, "I sealed the room myself. Neverzeless, I am reading a lifeform there!"

Kirk stood up from his chair, aggravated.

"This entire crew seems on the edge of _obsessive _behavior concerning Mister Spock!"

He walked to Chekov's station as an alarm went off. Kirk looked down at the computer graphic that showed the _Enterprise'_s layout. A flickering blip marred the rear of the bridge.

"Sir!" It was Uhura.

Kirk turned around to listen.

"Security reports the door to Spock's quarters has been forced."

Without a second thought, Kirk said, "I'm on my way," and exited the bridge. "Mister, Sulu, continue docking procedures."

"Aye, sir."

As Kirk exited the bridge, Chekov continued to stare at the layout, no more confused than his commanding officer was. He noticed Scotty beside him. In his native Russian language, Chekov said, ["I'm not crazy."].

Scotty gave him a questioning look.

"There it is!"

As the alarm went off, Kirk ran through the corridors of the _Enterprise_. It seemed like only yesterday he trudged through here and entered the engine room before seeing-

_Don't_, Kirk thought to himself.

He continued to jog through the hallway, wondering just who the hell would break into Spock's cabin?

He arrived to see two security guards, phasers ready, at the entrance. The door was gaping wide open, and there was clear evidence of a forced entry. Kirk nodded at the guards, and then slowly entered.

Spock's stateroom was dark and empty, but he slowly turned the lights on. Suddenly he heard a voice.

"_Jim…help me..."_

What the…that sounded like…Spock's voice?

He inched slowly to where the voice came from, and noticed a still figure sitting inside.

"_You left me on Genesis, why did you do that? Help me…"_

Kirk hurled toward the figure and grabbed him by his arms. He was staring at…

-McCoy!

The ship's doctor, Leonard "Bones" McCoy was standing in Spock's quarters, having just broken in to them.

Bones stared into his commanding officer's eyes, incredibly confused.

"Bones, what are you doing in here?"

He stammered, "I-I don't know, Admiral. I was…hearing Spock's voice in my mind, and was somehow…lured into his cabin…"

"Lured?" Kirk asked. "Bones, what are you talking about?"

"I must've sleepwalked."

Kirk paused for a moment, puzzled. _He must be drunk…or crazy!_

"Bones, we ordered these quarters sealed! How did you manage to pry them open with your own bare hands?"

"It was almost like a dream, Admiral. I heard Spock's voice in my head, then…this"

Then he said, "All right, Bones. You look tired, why don't you get some sleep?"

This made Bones smile a little, "Damn it, Jim, you're a ship commander, not a doctor!"

"Uh-huh," Kirk said, returning the smile, "Return to your quarters and get some sleep."

"Right…maybe that Romulan ale I got into was bad or something." Bones replied quietly.

"Don't worry; I'll ignore the whole incident." Kirk told him.

"Thanks Jim."

He exited Spock's quarters with Kirk, ready for a nap.

_Remember…_

While Bones retired to his quarters, Kirk assembled the remaining skeleton crew of the _Enterprise._ They met up in her engine room, where Admiral Harry Morrow entered to review the ship. Every crew member stood at attention.

Morrow smiled, "At ease, everyone." Then he approached Kirk.

"Where is Doctor McCoy?" he asked.

Kirk promised the doctor he would keep the incident quiet. He simply said, "Indisposed, sir."

Morrow would not prod for questions, "Ah, that's too bad." Then he surveyed the remaining crew, "You've all done remarkable service under the most difficult conditions. You will receive Starfleet's highest commendations, and more important, extended shore leave."

_No, Admiral, I will not accept shore leave. My crew _must _return to Genesis! _Kirk thought to himself.

"That is for all but you, Mister Scott. They need your wisdom on the new _Excelsior." _Morrow said smiling. "Reporting there tomorrow, as Captain of Engineering. But not to worry, I'll make sure the captain gives you shore leave soon."

But Scotty was not the least bit interested, "With all due respect, sir, I must first come home to bury my nephew, Peter."

"Yes, of course…"

"And then I'd prefer to supervise the refit of the _Enterprise."_

Morrow shook his head, "I am sorry, Mister Scott, but there will be no refit."

This hit home for Kirk. _No refit!_

Morrow turned to face him, and now he had a chance to speak up.

"Admiral, I don't understand, the _Enterprise-_"

Morrow cut him off, "Jim, the _Enterprise _is twenty years old! Actually that's just since her last major refit, she's more like…forty now… and well quite frankly, we think her day is over!"

The name _Enterprise _couldn't die down. He wouldn't allow her to simply be…_mothballed. Pike never would have stood for that…neither would April for that matter!_

Kirk simply said, "But, we'd requested…", he had to force the words from his mouth, "we'd hope to take her back to Genesis."

"That is out of the question," Morrow said with a quizzical look on his face.

"May I ask why?" Kirk challenged.

Morrow continued with a sigh, "Jim, in your absence over the past several weeks, Genesis has become a galactic controversy. Until the Federation Council makes policy, you are all under orders _not _to discuss with anyone, your knowledge of Genesis. Consider it a quarantined planet." Then he added, "and a forbidden subject. The Council has considered placing General Order Seven on that planet soon." _General Order Seven!? _Kirk thought to himself. General Order Seven was Starfleet's regulation on planets which no one was allowed to go with proper authority, but it was more than just a quarantined zone, it was also would make the star system in which the planet was located a lethal fire section of space. If you went there without proper organization, you would be destroyed. _Not many planets have that order placed on them. The one that comes to mind is Talos IV. And unlike Talos there are no telepathic beings on Genesis, so why all the controversy! Damn politics! _Kirk thought to himself.

Kirk waited until Morrow walked in a different direction, and then clenched his fists angrily.

Meanwhile, after the dismissal, Sulu made his way to the transporter room to beam over to _Excelsior_. But Admiral Morrow stopped him midway.

"Commander Sulu, where are you heading?"

"The _Excelsior, _sir. I intend to report for duty, I am already late as it is."

"Would you care to join me for a moment, instead?" Morrow asked, with a friendly gesture.

_This better not be Starfleet pep talk, Admiral, the _Excelsior _awaits my command._

"Commander," Morrow addressed Sulu, "how familiar are you with the Genesis project?"

Sulu tensed up. _Where did that question come from?_

"I am…familiar with its specifications, and I know what the device is capable of. It can turn a barren planet into one full of life. And I know it was overseen by Carol and David Marcus."

Several moments of silence passed before Morrow spoke up, "Do you know the effect it's been having around here?"

Sulu shook his head, "No, sir."

"Please, have a seat, commander."

Sulu complied.

"There has been a considerably huge uproar on the project recently, and there is going to be a Federation inquiry, in addition to a summit meeting."

_No…_ Sulu knew where this was heading.

"I hate to do this," he continued on, "but I'm afraid I have to ask that everyone who was on board the _Enterprise _during the incident to keep themselves available to offer testimony."

He stood up to protest, but Morrow raised his hand, "Please, sit down."

"Am I to assume my orders have been rewritten, Admiral?"

"I'm afraid so."

"How long? Permanently?"

"I sincerely hope not, Commander."

Sulu felt his jaw clench in an attempt to hide his anger.

"In a few months, when this has blown over, you will be recommended for promotion on the _Excelsior._ But until then, I am temporarily handing her over to Captain Lawrence Styles. He will be in charge of the vessel's shakedown cruise while you are otherwise occupied."

Sulu was glad he didn't have to speak his mind even as he thought, _And then what? This is the _Excelsior _we are discussing. Starfleet's newest prototype...Do you honestly expect Styles to hand her over to me after a few _months _without protest?_

Instead, he simply said, "I see, admiral."

"After this turmoil has died down, I promise you, Starfleet will make it up to you."

The _Excelsior _was far more advanced than the _Enterprise_, with newer weapons systems and transwarp drive. No other ship existed that could come close to her.

"I look forward to…seeing what kind of reward you have to offer, Admiral. Now, if you will excuse me, I have absolutely nothing to do during shore leave."

He exited the room before dismissal. _Is Genesis really such a controversy that you must cheat an officer out of his own command? _Sulu asked himself. _Especially when said command is a new, advanced prototype! One that even I personally had a hand in designing. _As he walked through the corridor, he paused to glare out the viewport. The _Enterprise,_ ready for dismantling, sat next to _Excelsior. _He also looked off in the distance to the _Kongo. Why is the Kongo, which is almost as old as the Enterprise, being given a refit while the Enterprise is being dismantled? It doesn't make any sense…_

He continued to walk as normal, not bothering to dwell on the matter any longer.


	7. Goodbye, Livius

**Chapter 4: Goodbye, Livius**

_**Karzan**_

**Deep Space**

The Romulan War Eagle _Karzan _was small in comparison to most Starfleet vessels, but what it lacked in size, it made up for in shielding, agility, and firepower. With a proper crew and commanding officer, it was virtually unstoppable. It was more advanced than its predecessor, the Romulan War Bird that had been used in the mid to late 2260's, when the Romulans had re-contacted the Federation. The ship was named after the praetor who lived through the famous Earth-Romulan conflict.

Maricus finished watching Kirk's report on Genesis, _Yes, this is indeed what I have been seeking my love. _Maricus thought as he looked at the picture of his wife on his desk. He could not keep his eyes off of it. He could almost feel the warmth of her smile come right out the picture and surround him. The picture had been taken when they had purchased a small cottage in the hills on Zeulas. Titiana loved the hills and fields on Zeulas much more than the cities on Romulas. _Titiana, what I wouldn't give to see you again, sitting under a tree on Zeulas; watching Livia running around in the fields playing explorer. When I see her in my mind, it reminds me of such childhood innocence. If only I had been more forceful in my insistence that you remain on Romulas. A second chance, that's all I want, a second chance, I would trade my life if you and Livia could live. _He was about to close his eyes when he heard his door chime. "Come in." he said. In walked Dartha, his chief science officer. She was not an unattractive female, very slender, with short black hair. "Commander, I have begun my analysis of the data. Do you wish me to prepare a presentation for the officers?" Dartha asked. Maricus rose from his seat. "Yes, and be sure to make a copy of the data. But do not disclose with anyone that have done so." He told her. "Yes, Commander." she replied as they both walked towards the door, but before Maricus reached it, Dartha walked in front of him. "I must ask you something Commander, why are you doing this?"

"For Zeulas, of course."

"For Zeulas? Or for Titiana? Commander…Maricus…" she started to say, as her dark, brown beautiful eyes began staring at him, reminding him of some beautiful bronze artifacts he had seen on Romulas. He wasn't sure how long she paused as he became enraptured in her beauty. "Titiana was my friend since childhood; I know how much she meant to you but will restoring Zeulas bring her back?" she asked as she took another step towards him. They now stood only inches from each other. "I know she's gone forever. But I must not let her memory die." He told her. She put her arms around his neck and smiled. "Does this destroy her memory?" He grabbed her arms and softly pushed her away. "Dartha, please, I can't do this." She looked down at the floor and then back up at him. "I understand sir." She replied and turned to leave. He softly grabbed her shoulder and whispered gently into her ear, "Not yet…" He expected a reply but she didn't say another word; instead she just walked silently out of his cabin. He turned around and went to the sink to wash his face. He filled the sink with water and dipped his head in it. He felt the cold water hit on his face as if he was being punched in the face. He then tried off his face as he prepared to leave his quarters. He knew the next thing he had to do would be very difficult to perform. _One last loose end to tie up. _Maricus thought as he left the room and headed for the bridge. "Commander!" a voice yelled behind him. He turned and saw the communications officer Livius come running up to him. Livius was an emergency replacement member of his crew. Though Maricus knew it was no accident that his original communications officer had become sick and was forced to remain on Romulas. Livius was a member of Tal Shiar, the Romulan intelligence bureau. "Yes, what is it?" Maricus asked, "I wanted to ask you something." said Livius as they continued walking to the bridge.

"Well, out with it sub-lieutenant."

"I just wanted to ask you about your current orders."

"Are you here to question them?"

"No Commander, I just want to understand. We are indeed breaking orders, and heading into Federation space?"

"Yes, we are. Tonight, when I explain to you and the other officers what my motives fully are, then you'll understand."

"Yes, sir; of course sir." Livius said as they entered the bridge. Maricus sat in his chair and asked, "Navigator, what is our present position?" The navigator, Catoras R'Mor, began to inform him but Maricus wasn't actually listening. He looked at Livius, who had taken over the communications post. He saw Livius pressing a few of the controls on the communications panel. _Planning on reporting me? I think…not._ Maricus turned around back around to facing the viewscreen. When no one was looking he pressed a button on his command chair. The communications panel in front of Livius overloaded and exploded. "Medical Emergency!" shouted T'omake. But as Maricus knew, it was too late for Livius. He was dead already. Maricus feigned a sad expression. _What a pity…_he thought. _What a pity indeed…_


	8. Controversy

**Chapter 5: Controversy**

Kirk walked along the grounds of Starfleet academy, looking at all the buildings, each one of them with a different memory from his past. He walked past the building in which he had been to many history lectures taught by John Gill. He then walked past the medical building as he began to approach a park bench he knew all too well, because all its memories led to Carol Marcus…

_**2259**_

"I'm very much looking forward to meeting this little blonde lab technician of yours Jim." said Gary Mitchell. "Just remember she's my girl, Gary." replied Kirk. "Oh, I wouldn't try anything, you know me Jim."

"That's why I said it."

Gary laughed as they walked up to the park bench where Carol Marcus was waiting. They were about to go on a double date with Gary's girlfriend, Kate. "Carol, honey, I'd like you to meet Gary Mitchell." said Kirk. Carol smiled, "It's nice to meet you Gary, I've heard a lot about you from Jim."

"Yeah, and old 'Think or Sink' Jim here better have said only good things about me." replied Gary. "Think or Sink?" asked Carol. "I'll explain later, so where's Kate." asked Kirk. "Oh, she'll be running a little late. She said to meet her there." Carol replied. "Let's go then." said Gary and the three of them walked onwards…

_**2285**_

Of course, Gary Mitchell and Carol Marcus actually already knew each other; Gary was the one behind their "accidental" first meeting. Kirk discovered that fact during his first year as captain of the _Enterprise_. Now years later Kirk approached that bench again, and Carol was waiting for him. "Carol, have you heard from David yet?" he asked as he sat down.

"No, I'm getting a little worried."

"He's a smart kid, he had a smart mother."

"And a stubborn father."

"A little stubborn." Carol laughed at that one.

"'Think or Sink' Jim, remember?"

"Of course I remember; Gary Mitchell came up with that one. I've actually been thinking about him recently."

"Because of what happened to Spock?"

"First Gary, now Spock. No one should have to lose a best friend twice. Maybe I'm just bad luck."

"No, you're not." Carol said grabbing his hand. "Sorry, I have just been in a sour mood ever since we got back." replied Kirk.

"What's wrong?"

"They're retiring the _Enterprise_."

"Yes, I heard about that, they're not even giving a ceremony."

"I know. Just too much going on, with the Gorn giving us trouble near the Cestus system again, the Klingon peace talks, and now the Genesis controversy…"

"Don't even mention the Genesis controversy…I haven't had a night's sleep because of it."

"They're keeping you busy then?"

"Yes, I have so many reports to write, and I don't even have David around to help me since they whisked him away to the research ship, the _Grissom_ I think it's called, I barely even got a chance to say good-bye."

"Captain Esteban is good captain. He'll look out for him."  
"I know but it doesn't change the facts that he's gone."

"I know, my own crew are be forced to remain on Earth until the matter is settled, you remember Hikaru Sulu?"

"I think so? He was the helmsman wasn't he?"

"Yes, he was about to be promoted and given his own command but that's now been delayed because of that damn Genesis device!" Kirk rose from his chair and started pacing. "Jim, keep your voice down!" said Carol looking around to see if anyone was looking. "What is it?" asked Kirk. "Don't say Genesis so loud, I think Federation security has been keeping an eye on me ever since I got back to Earth, they may be watching you too." Kirk quickly looked around but so only a few cadets in sight. "And they may not be the only ones, I think someone was watching my apartment the other night, but he was not Federation Security."

"How can you be sure?"

"Because he fled after a Federation Security officer arrived at my door."

Kirk sat back down and said, "This is getting out of hand. What is happening to the Federation?"

"I don't know, but with all the security my work has been getting so difficult and with my whole research team dead…oh God…not a day goes by where I don't think about them…" Tears began coming out of Carol's eyes. Kirk grabbed her hand, "Carol, it's not your fault."

"I know, but it's still painful to think about."

"I'd like to help you, maybe we should have dinner tonight, somewhere quiet, like we used to..."

"No Jim, I have my reports and I'm sure Starfleet will be asking you a lot of questions soon." She looked straight at him. "That's why I invited you here."

"I don't understand."

"This thing between us now, we shouldn't continue it, at least not until this all over."

"And when it's all over?"

"Maybe…just maybe, you're still very much the same man I left, maybe it was never meant to be."

"Maybe it was...and we just gave it up on it too fast."

"I gotta go Jim; I have a lot of work to do. I'll let you know if I hear from David." She leaned in and kissed him lightly on the cheek and walked away. Kirk continued to sit there, he thought about all he had done…and lost, Gary, Carol, David, Edith Keeler, and most recently Spock and the _Enterprise_. He was considered one of the greatest and luckiest captains in Starfleet but he didn't feel like now as he sat alone at the table in the middle of Starfleet Academy. _If only everyone knew the whole story, would they have the same opinion of me? What am I? Who am I? I told David the truth on the Enterprise, "I know nothing."_ He felt like the loneliest human in the galaxy.

_**Karzan**_

**Federation Border**

The officers of the _Karzan_ sat in the Officer's Galley as the ship neared the Federation border. T'omake grabbed his plate of food as he talked to S'Talon, the chief of security, "So there I am, stuck listening to this young senator's aid talking like he knows all about politics, and he clearly doesn't."

"What was his name again?" asked S"Talon.

"Vreenak…anyways, I try to change the subject, even so far as to say the food is terrible and wouldn't even be fit to serve on Remus."

"Was the food awful?"

"Not really, I was just trying to change the subject. Anyways he says to me…"

"Excuse me, sub-commander, will you all be seated please." Maricus told him.

"Of course, commander." T'omake said and he found his seat. Then Maricus sat down, being the last one to do so. As soon as he was seated Maricus raised his glass, "Here is to finest officers in the Empire." Ral'k, chief engineer of the _Karzan_, drank his drink and then asked, "Commander, what happened to Livius? That comm panel didn't just explode." "What are you saying Ral'k?!" demanded T'omake. "It's alright, Sub-commander. I killed him, yes." Everyone at the table was silent, until Maricus continued, "He was a member of the Tal Shiar, and not a very good one since I discovered him. We didn't need him reporting back what we are going to do." "You're playing a dangerous game commander." said Dartha. "I've been playing this game since my first command. Now I want you all to see this…" They began eating as Maricus turned on the viewscreen for them to watch the Genesis files. The image displayed the Federation logo, followed by a presentation of _Project Genesis_ by Carol Marcus, and then it was followed by a report by James T. Kirk, discussing the events leading up to the detonation of the Genesis Device in the Mutara Nebula by the genetically enhanced Khan Noonien Singh. After the image faded Maricus turned his head towards his fellow officers, "Opinions?" T'Linz, who was busy shaking his head, was the first to reply. "It's a fake. There is no possible way the Federation has this kind of technology." "I checked the reports myself, yes, they do have it, it's real." said Dartha. "Then it's a powerful weapon, that we must obtain." declared S'Talon. "Any other opinions?" asked Maricus. "It's powerful. It can create new worlds for the Empire." replied T'omake. T'Linz turned to him and replied, "Yes, new cities, homes in the country, your woman at your side, children playing at your feet and overhead… fluttering in the breeze…the flag of the Federation. Charming…" T'Linz showed his disgust when he said the final word. "Now listen you gut…" T'omake began but Maricus cut him off, "It's alright; he's entitled to his opinion. But that's not why we are going to seize the device." He stood up as he told them all finally the truth, "I selected you all, because we all were born and lived on Zeulas. It now sits as a dead and unimportant world in the Empire. Well, we are going to seize the Genesis Device plans and secrets. We will give it to our government, what they do with it I do not care, but I will have a copy made, and a team of scientists, led by Dartha here, will create our own device. And we will use it on Zeulas!" T'Linz stood up and said, "Commander! I do not approve of this! When the Empire discovers what we have done…"

"The Empire will not be able to complain when they see the results, think about it, our home restored!"

"And you will take the blame solely yourself?"

"Dartha and I have already decided that we will take the blame, though it shouldn't be much, I do have friends in the senate."

"Not enough I feel."

"If you are done here, you all may report back to your posts, and do not speak of this with anyone. For the sake of the crew, we must not allow them to know. They are also all from Zeulas but I do not want them to have to take part of blame for whatever happens. You may leave." All the officers began to leave. Dartha turned and looked at Maricus. She didn't speak but her eyes spoke for her, _"Be careful."_ He tried again not to get lost in her dark brown eyes. _Titiana would have wanted me to move on, but I still do not feel ready. _He had considered asking Dartha about the idea of a relationship as he could tell Dartha longed to help him from his loneliness, but she and Titiana had been such good friends, he still felt like he would be betraying Titiana….

…"Commander….Sir…?" Suddenly Maricus remembered where he was; in the Officers' Mess. T'omake was still standing there. Maricus looked at the doorway and noticed Dartha was gone. How long and he been standing there now. "Yes, sub-commander?" "I just wanted to say something to you, as a friend and not in front of the others."

"And what is that T'omake?"

"Maricus, if we do this, and our successful. Zeulas will be restored, and if you are not killed for these actions…"

"I will not be killed."

"Even still, if you do this, you'll never have command again." T'omake saluted and walked out leaving Maricus alone in the room. He knew it would be the price he would pay, but thinking of his world dead he couldn't bear anymore. "If that is the price, I will pay it." He said defiantly into the empty room.


	9. Research, Lifeforms and Vulcans

**Chapter 6: Research, Lifeforms and Vulcans**

**U.S.S. **_**Grissom**_

**Genesis Planet**

The _Grissom _was an _Oberth-_class starship under the command of Captain Jonathan T. Esteban. It was compact, with minimal weaponry, and strictly a science vessel less than two-thirds the size of a _Constitution-_class saucer. The ship flew towards Genesis at barely one-half impulse.

In the bridge of the _Grissom, _Lieutenant Saavik spoke up from her station, with David Marcus beside her.

"We have reached the destination planet at point zero-three-five."

"Very well, lieutenant," said Esteban. "Helm, execute standard orbital approach."

"Standard orbit, aye sir," said the female helm officer.

Saavik heard him call out to communications.

"Send a coded message for Starfleet command, priority one," he said, tugging at his uniform. "Arriving, Genesis Planet, Mutara Sector, to begin research, J.T. Esteban commanding."

"Aye sir, coding now."

She noticed Esteban was now facing David, "Doctor Marcus, your planet," he said happily.

David maintained a calm, yet excited manner as he addressed Saavik, "Begin scanning, please," and looked over at the science console.

"This is where the fun begins, Saavik."

She hit a few buttons on the console to bring up the map of Genesis.

"Just like your father, so human," she quipped rather dryly as David walked to a different station.

"All units functional, recorders are on. Scanning sector one."

The map of Genesis appeared on the console, starting with sector one,

VEGETATION: NORMAL

"The foliage is in a fully-developed state of growth," she noticed.

TEMPERATURE 22.2 CELSIUS

She heard David speak up, "Sector two indicating desert terrain, minimal vegetation, and temperature: 39.4.

"Sector three," Saavik continued, "Sub-tropical vegetation."

She noticed something odd, "Temperature decreasing rapidly…"

David appeared by her in a second, clearly fascinated by this anomaly.

"It's snow," he surmised. "Snow in the same sector! Fantastic."

"Fascinating."

"All of the varieties of land and weather known to earth within a few hours' walking!" David excitedly spoke.

The conversation was quickly terminated by a small alarm.

Saavik noticed a blip on the radar.

"Metallic mass," she said.

"Close-range scan," David ordered. Captain Esteban appeared a few seconds later.

_Spock's burial tube, _Saavik thought to herself.

"Photon tube. Gravitational fields were in-flux, it must've soft-landed," David said, looking toward Captain Esteban.

"Encode to Starfleet," the captain ordered, "Captain Spock's tube located on Genesis surface."

"Yes sir, coding your message" said the communications officer.

The console began to emit a loud alarm sound.

_LIFEFORM, _the console now showed.

"I don't believe it," Saavik heard from David.

"What is it?" asked Esteban.

"If equipment is functioning properly," Saavik began, "indications are…an animal life-form."

"You said there wouldn't be any," Esteban said.

"There shouldn't be any," David.

Saavik began working at a faster pace. "Cross-reference to verify…an unidentifiable life-form reading."

"Do you wish to advise Starfleet, sir?" The comm officer called out.

"Wait a minute," Esteban cut him off, "we don't know what we're talking about here," he continued as he returned to the center chair.

David threw in, "Why don't we beam it up."

Esteban grinned, "Oh, no you don't. Regulations specifically state, nothing shall be beamed aboard until danger of contamination has been eliminated."

Desperation fueled Saavik as she said, "Captain, the logical alternative is obvious. Beaming down to the surface is permitted."

"_If _the captain decides that the mission is vital and reasonably free of danger," Esteban added with his by-the-book demeanor.

"Captain, please!" David pleaded. "We'll take the risk, but we've got to find out what it is!"

"Or who?"

The alarm indicator continued to go off on the console, and still, Saavik noticed, there was no way to get Captain Esteban to listen to reason.

She thought of Spock for a moment.

_I wish you could be here right now, Captain…_

**Admiral Kirk's Apartment**

**San Francisco, CA**

James T. Kirk's apartment was surprisingly fancy. Located atop a tall skyscraper, with

Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge clearly visible, and filled with various antiques, among them, different types of firearms from the 18th and 19th centuries. Kirk always enjoyed collecting old-earth antiques. His collection was the last thing on his mind now, however, as him, McCoy, Sulu, Chekov, and Uhura raised their drink glasses in the air solemnly. Scotty was currently in Scotland with his family.

"Absent friends," he said, and then they all joined the glasses together briefly before drinking.

"Is Scotty coming tonight?" asked Uhura.

"I talked to him earlier today. They had Peter's funeral, and he said he might be able to make it here tonight." Kirk replied. He didn't bother to mention Scotty was having trouble explaining to Peter's mother, Fran, what had happened. And Peter's sister, Dannan, was also giving Scotty a hard time about the whole thing.

"Admiral, what is going to happen to the _Enterprise," _Sulu asked uncertainly.

Kirk felt a wave of remorse as he answered, "She is to be decommissioned."

"Vill ve get another ship?" asked Chekov.

_Is there a _"we" _anymore? _Kirk wondered. Spock was dead, Scotty was now assigned to the _Excelsior, _and Doctor Chapel had taken an assignment at Starfleet Headquarters.

"I can't get an answer," was all Kirk said. Not even Sulu was assigned to another ship, Kirk reflected. _And I will probably be faced with a desk job again_. The thought made Kirk shudder. He was meant to command a ship, not sit behind a desk. As an old-earth student might put it, the lack of Starship command _sucked_.

"Starfleet is up to its brass in galactic conference; no one has time for those who stand and wait."

McCoy remained silent after draining his glass.

Finally, Kirk said, "Bones, I notice you you've been quiet all evening."

His face remained stoic. "To celebrate a loved one's death is illogical."

Silence overcame the entire crowd. Kirk and everyone else stared at McCoy, perplexed.

_What? Illogical?_

"What did you say, Bones?!"

McCoy blinked and shrugged. "What did I say?"

"Illogical!" Kirk raised his voice, confused.

"No, I didn't," McCoy said, his tone laced with confusion.

"Yes, you did!"

"Dammit, Jim, I did not!"

_What's gotten into you, Bones? First you break into Spock's cabin, now you're _speaking _like him!_

Kirk tried to talk some sense into his physician.

"Bones, what has gotten into you lately? Ever since Spock died, you've been borderline obsessive over it! Where do you get off speaking like a Vulcan?"

Bones appeared angry, his voice rose.

"I'll have you know I simply miss Spock as much as the rest of you," he shouted, gesturing to the remaining crew before heading toward the turbolift.

For a moment, Kirk could have sworn he heard McCoy mumbling to himself.

"Climb the steps of Mount Seleya, dammit!"

Jim heard this and immediately took back what he said, desperate.

"Bones! _BONES!"_

Before he could talk any sense into his physician, his door shut.

As McCoy walked towards a nearby lift, all he could think about was how he just talked to his superior.

_Did I really say what he thought? Illogical…? Climb the steps of Mount Seleya?_

He wondered what was going on his mind. _Why?_ He asked himself.

_Why did I talk about Mount Seleya; about illogic?_

The opening lift doors interrupted his train of thought.

As he entered, the second turbolift's doors opened. As the door closed on McCoy's turbolift, a tall hooded figure in brown robes walked out of the other turbolift and headed towards Kirk's apartment.

Kirk wondered what just went on, and looked over at his crew for clarification.

"Have any of you noticed how differently Bones has behaved lately?"  
Chekov offered some insight. "Is it possible he is just…so dewastated over Keptin Spock's death that," the Russian faltered, "Impersonating him might ease the pain?"

"Impossible, Mister Chekov, Bones is not the type to bury his pain."

Chekov shrugged. Kirk noticed a change in his behavior, too; albeit much more subtle. He wonder if his security chief still felt that he let him down after Khan manipulated him with that grotesque Ceti Eel.

"Admiral," Sulu intervened, "perhaps it would be best to review any recordings you have in engineering following this dreadful incident. It is possible something happened even _before _Spock entered the warp core section. He may have done more than simply incapacitated Doctor McCoy."

Kirk pondered, "Quite right, Mister Sulu." He almost said _Captain, _but quickly bit it back.

His helmsman had essentially been snubbed from a command, and therefore temporarily deprived of that rank.

"I will review any recordings…"

The chime of the doorbell cut him off.

"Ah, mister Scott."

Kirk walked towards the door, full glass in one hand, prepared to hand it to hid engineer.

"Come," he offered.

When the doors parted, it was not Scott that appeared, but an elderly, hooded figure.

Kirk watched the figure remove his hood to reveal his full facial expression and pointed ears.

He was face-to-face with Spock's father.

"Sarek!

Sarek remained silent and expressionless as he walked towards Kirk with dignity.

"Ambassador, I had no idea you were here," Kirk said, surprised.

"I believe you know my crew." He gestured to Uhura, Chekov, and Sulu, whom all appeared as surprised as Kirk felt.

"I will speak with you alone, Kirk," the ambassador said; Kirk was certain he could detect a trace of grief in his voice.

"Please excuse us."

Kirk watched Sarek walk towards the fireplace and remove his robe.

His crew slowly departed.

"Ambassador, I would've come to Vulcan, to express my deepest sympathies. How's Amanda?"

Sarek turned to face Kirk, his voice raising.

"She is human, so she's in mourning. The loss of Spock as affected her greatly."

"I'm very sadden…"

"Spare me your human platitudes, Kirk. I have been to your government; I have seen the Genesis information, and your own report."

Kirk lowered his head slightly and solemnly.

"Then you know how bravely your son met his death."

"Why did you leave him on Genesis?"  
_First my physician, now Sarek, _Kirk thought.

"Spock trusted you," the ambassador went on, "and you denied him his future."

"I saw no future…"

"Only his body was in death, Kirk, and _you_ were the last one to be with him."

"Yes, I was," Kirk admitted, not wanting to discuss the incident.

"Then you must know you should have come with him to Vulcan."

"But why?"

"Because he a_sked _you to! He entrusted you with his very essence. With everything that was not of the body. He asked you to bring him to us, and to bring that which he gave you…his _Katra, _his living spirit."

Kirk turned away from Sarek.

"Sir," he paused, putting down his drink glass, "your son meant more to me than you can know."

He walked past his antique weaponry.

"I'd have given my life, if it would've saved his."

Sarek waited for him to continue.

"Believe me when I tell you he made no request of me."

"He would not have spoken of it openly."

"Then how-"

"Kirk," Sarek cut him off, "I must have your thoughts."

Kirk knew where this was going now; a mind meld.

"May I join your mind?"

Kirk stood in silence for a few minutes.

_This could be the key to everything._

He nodded, "Certainly."

Kirk sat down in the nearest seat, and Sarek took the one in front.

The ambassador raised his hand up to Kirk's face, his fingers connecting to the _Katra _spots.

Kirk reflected on the first time he had mind-melded with Sarek, when he was only thirteen years old on the planet Tarsus IV.

Kirk shut his eyes as the meld began.

_In his mind, Kirk was no longer in his apartment._

_He was back in the middle of a crowd on Tarsus IV…_

_He was on the simulator bridge cheating his way past the Kobayashi Maru…_

_He was sharing an intimate kiss with Carol…_

_He was sitting in his chair on the U.S.S. Farragut, hesitating to fire on the Dikironium cloud creature…_

_He was accepting command of the Enterprise from Captain Pike and meeting Spock for the first time…_

_He was firing his phaser rifle at rock face, killing Gary Mitchell._

_He was watching Edith Keeler, haloed in the lights of an old-time automobile, rammed in the streets of 1930's Chicago…_

_NO! I cannot witness these things again! Gary! Edith!_

_Kirk, you must focus, do not fight this…please._

_Focus, focus, focus…focus…_

_He was returning to Earth at the end of his five year mission as captain of the Enterprise._

_He was watching Willard Decker join with the probe V'ger..._

_He was back in the engineering section of the Enterprise_. _He found himself leaning against the transparent aluminum that separated him from the mortally-wounded form of Spock, dying from radiation poisoning._

"_He spoke of your friendship," Sarek said, more of a statement than a question._

_Each time Spock said something, it was not his voice, but rather, the voice of Sarek._

"_Yes."_

"_Asked you not to grieve."_

"_Yes."_

"_The needs of the many…" Sarek's voice and Spock's mouth both began "outweigh…"_

_It was Kirk's turn._

"_The needs of the few."_

"_Or the one."_

"_Spock."_

"_I have been, and always shall be…your friend."_

_Again, Kirk visualized Spock pressing his hand against the window; the Vulcan salute displayed._

"_Live long, and prosper."_

_No…_

_And then Spock and the engineering section disappeared from Kirk's vision…_

Sarek terminated the meld ever slowly, raising his hand away from Kirk's face.

The meld had no harmful effects, Sarek noticed. But he could find no answer.

"Forgive me," he said, "it is not here," Sarek said.

"I had assumed he mind-melded with you."

_Spock would not have melded with anyone else, _Sarek thought to himself.

"It is the Vulcan way, when the body's end is near."

"We were separated," the admiral said grimly. "He couldn't touch me."

"I see."

Sarek could not grieve; it was not the Vulcan way. But he imagined he would, had he been human.

"Then everything that he was; everything he knew, is lost."

Sarek stood up, his robe in hand, and started towards the exit. His stoic attitude didn't fool Kirk for a moment. He knew Sarek was extremely saddened by Spock's death. He had seen it in Sarek's mind during the meld.

"Please wait," admiral Kirk said anxiously.

Sarek would hear him out.

"He would have found a way! If there was that much at stake, Spock would have found a way."

"Yes," Sarek said, raising an eyebrow, "but how?"

Admiral Kirk stood up, "What if he joined with someone else?"

_Fascinating, _thought Sarek.


	10. The Mirror

**Chapter 7: The Mirror**

**McCoy's Apartment**

Leonard McCoy sat brooding at his home in San Francisco, feeling like a lunatic.

_Did I really say any of this? Illogical, climb the steps of Mount Seleya?_

_And why, _he added, _did I break into Spock's cabin a few days earlier?_

All of these questions plagued him as he donned a medium-sized glass and filled it halfway with electric-blue Romulan ale.

_I only use it for medicinal purposes; _he remembered telling Admiral Kirk that and his fifty-first birthday.

_Well, does this count? _He asked himself as he took a long, deep swig of the liquid.

The drink had quite a kick to it. He felt a jolt as the liquid flowed down his throat, burning.

It took him a moment to notice he had drained the half-full glass.

Two more glasses later and McCoy decided he needed to rest. Maybe that would clear his head of this whole Spock business, once he cleared his head of the alcohol effects, that is. He walked past his bookcase and noticed the picture of his parents. He stopped and looked at it again. For a moment he thought the faces on the picture were…Ambassador Sarek and his wife Amanda? He looked closely again and saw only the faces of his parents, David and Eleanora. _I must be drunk, _thought McCoy as he walked onwards.

"Lights," he ordered as he first entered the washroom.

McCoy placed his hands under the sink, allowed them to fill with water, and washed his face to cool off.

The he looked into the mirror and winced.

It wasn't his face staring back at him, it was Spock's!

It completely _replaced _his reflection.

McCoy rubbed his eyes just to make sure he was not dreaming.

When he did, the uniformed, uninjured figure of Spock remained still.

"Good god!"

Spock's mouth moved.

"_Why did you leave me on Genesis?" _the reflection said.

"Spock…!"

"_You left me on Genesis."_

"No…"

"_You must take me to Mount Seleya on Vulcan. You must climb the steps."_

He splashed water against his face, hoping it would knock out the vision.

He looked up, and the stoic features of Captain Spock still remained, he threw a chair he had in the room at the mirror and shattered it. But that didn't stop the voice.

_Remember…_

McCoy screamed and ran out his apartment into the night.

_**Enterprise**_

__Despite being a high-ranking admiral, James T. Kirk had to do some rank-pulling in order to enter the flight-recording room with Sarek, which now lay under guard and heavily sealed.

He cued the video feed to the engineering section hesitantly, not wanting to relive Spock's death yet again. _"Engine room, flight recorder visual. Stardate Eight-One-Two-Eight-point-Seven-Eight." _"Go."

The video began with Kirk and Spock, face-to-face in the engine room, separated by transparent aluminum, scarred with radiation burns. Kirk shuddered. "Back, point seven-seven." The recording wound backward, pausing at the images of Bones and Scotty. _"Flight recorder visual two-eight point seven-seven." _"Go." The visual showed the good doctor and the miracle worker grabbing him by the arms and letting him know about Spock's dire situation. Kirk knew he would have flooded the entire engine room with radiation had he opened the doors, and Spock would have died in vain. "Back, point seven-six." The recorder went further back, showing Spock in the reactor core, then outside of the radiation-filled death trap. A curious visual caught his eye. Spock was actually kneeling down at McCoy's side. A few seconds more and Spock was standing up, facing the doctor. _"Flight recorder visual two-eight point seven-six." _"Go." It was the same clip of McCoy warning Spock not to go in, followed by Spock checking Scott's condition. Before Bones could complete his evaluation, Spock actually gripped his neck and did the infamous Vulcan nerve pinch, knocking the doctor out cold. Spock's next move provoked Kirk's curiosity. The Vulcan placed his hand against McCoy's face. _He's attempting a mind meld. Of course! _"Freeze!" Kirk ordered the recorder. He allowed himself to contain his excitement before he said, "Repeat, and augment." The recorder zoomed in on Spock and McCoy as the Vulcan placed his hand on the doctor's face. _"Remember." _Spock said. _This is why McCoy has been behaving so odd lately! _Kirk turned around to face Sarek.

"McCoy!"

"One alive, one not; yet both in pain," Sarek answered.

"What must I do?"

"You must bring them to Mount Seleya on Vulcan."

_This explains why McCoy said all of that gibberish back at my place…_

"Only there can both find peace."

Kirk pondered the situation for a moment. It would be next to impossible to get a ship anywhere

right now.

"What you ask…is difficult."

Sarek's voice suddenly sounded extremely confident for a Vulcan's.

"You will find a way, Kirk."

Kirk turned back to the visage of Spock performing his meld on McCoy.

"If you honor them both," Sarek continued, "you must."

"I will," Kirk said. "I swear."

_**Grissom**_

The _U.S.S. Grissom _continued to orbit Genesis.

In the transporter room, Lieutenant Saavik and David Marcus stepped onto the pads.

"_Transporter room, stand by to energize," _said the voice of Captain Esteban.

"Aye, sir. Energizing now."

The transporter beam consumed Saavik and David. While she could not feel it, Saavik was aware

that the beam was tearing through her entire body, breaking up her atoms.

**Genesis Planet**

A moment later, she reformed on the surface of Genesis beside David.

The forest portion of the planet was visually impressive, almost a perfect replica of any forest

one might see on Earth.

"Grissom _to Saavik," _Esteban called out on the communicator, _"we're picking up radiation from_

_the life-form." _His voice sounded distressed.

"Affirmative, captain," Saavik answered as she followed David, trudging through the lush greens

around them. "Our readings are way below danger level."

_Compared to what Spock experienced, _she reflected.

"_Very well, exercise caution, Lieutenant. This landing is captain's discretion, and _I'm _the one_

_who's out on a limb."_

She felt slightly irritated by Esteban's by-the-book mindset, but she simply replied with, "I will

try to remember that, Captain."

_Careful, Saavik. You are allowing your Romulan side to invade your thoughts…_

Saavik suppressed a shudder. She would prefer not to reflect on her Romulan heritage.

Something caught her eye. A dark torpedo tube appeared before Saavik and David.

The tricorder began to beep ever so slowly and silently.

_Fascinating…_

They walked up to the dirty and battered torpedo casing, wondering how it could have made

such a soft landing intact.

"Saavik," David began, "it may not be wise to touch it; there could be a slight chance of

radiation being stored inside.

Saavik understood and said, "I will exercise caution."

Carefully, she walked up to the casket and wondered if she should open it.

It was not the radiation that worried her at the moment; it was the fact that she may have to look

at Spock's radiation-scarred features, something she did not want to go through. But she had to

be sure of something she had considered back on the ship.

"Saavik…" David hesitantly warned. "It would be a little unwise…"

Before David could finish his statement, Saavik opened the casket.

It was empty.

"Saavik…"

She wondered how exactly Spock's tube could be empty. She witnessed him being placed in the

casket herself, and saw the torpedo being fired into the atmosphere.

Not even his dark Vulcan burial robe was there.

"Maybe the torpedo tube opened on impact, and threw Spock's body elsewhere," David

surmised.

"Hardly possible," Saavik replied, "Federation torpedo tubes are far more durable than that."

"But, how-"

David's sentence was quickly cut off by a quaking motion on the planet. Trees shook, and the

wind picked up around them.

Saavik did not expect to hear a loud scream amidst the commotion; a _humanoid _scream, no less.

She and David looked around, trying to pinpoint the location of the sound.

They raced in the direction, and Saavik wondered if maybe, just maybe, there was a chance of

Spock being alive.


	11. Responsibility

**Chapter 8: Responsibility**

**Earth**

Kirk sat in a lounge with Admiral Morrow discussing the situation concerning Captain Spock. He was having difficulty convincing the admiral. "No. Absolutely not, Jim, it's out of the question!" Morrow said shaking his head. Kirk wasn't going to end just like that. "Harry. I'm off the record now. I'm not speaking as one of your staff. I'm talking about thirty years of service. I have to do this, Harry. It has to do with my honor, my life…everything I put any value on." A steward just then walked up and put their drinks on the table. Kirk realized that his breathing had increased and his heart was pounding faster. McCoy probably would have been telling him to calm down. McCoy…McCoy, the thought of Bones running around the streets of San Francisco without knowing Spock's mind was in him was unsettling. _We've got to find him and fast._ Kirk then noticed the steward was gone and Morrow was taking a sip of his drink. Kirk did the same as the admiral continued their conversation. "Jim...you are my best officer and if I had a best friend, you'd be that too. But I am Commander Starfleet, so I don't break rules!"

"Don't quote rules, Harry! We're talking about loyalty. And sacrifice. One man who died for us, another who has deep emotional damage…"

"Now wait a minute! This business about Spock and McCoy... honestly, I have never understood Vulcan mysticism…I'm sorry! But part of me doesn't want you to make a fool of yourself...understand?"

Kirk took another sip of his drink. "Harry, you don't have to believe! I'm not even sure I believe. But if there's even a chance that Spock has an eternal soul…then that is my responsibility."

"Yours...?!"

"As surely as if it were my own!"

Morrow could see the seriousness on Kirk's face when he said it. He knew Kirk's crew was close but he never knew how close. He took a rather large drink from his drink. "Jim…"

"Harry, give me back the _Enterprise_! With Scotty's help..."

"No, Jim! _Enterprise_ would never stand the pounding. The damage Khan inflicted on the ship is just too extensive, you'd never make it out of the solar system."

"Then I'll find a ship…I'll hire a ship. Give me the _Kongo. _Kosnett can remain in command."

"No, Jim!"

"Then give me the _Excelsior_. She's supposed to be starting trial runs, let's let one of those be to go to the Genesis Planet, then to Vulcan and break every speed recorded doing…" Kirk then realized he was crossing the line now.

"Out of the question! The Council has ordered that no one but the science team goes to Genesis!"

"How the hell did Genesis become a galactic controversy in such a short time that we were gone?"

"Thank our old friends the Tholians for that one."

"The Tholians?" _First galactic controversy, then quarantine planets, and now the Tholians! What has happened to the galaxy?_

"Yes, the Tholians, let me explain." Morrow took another drink and then continued, "When Khan detonated the weapon the entire Mutara Nebula vanished and a planet formed, believe me people are going to notice, especially the Tholians, considering the Mutara sector is right next to their border. Well, about two weeks later we get a communication from the Tholian ambassador, saying they were aware of the situation."

"How could they have found out so quickly what had happened?"

"We are guessing the Romulans intercepted your report to Starfleet. We can't be sure but Romulan spies are everywhere. Anyway, the Tholians then said the Genesis planet and the project was as they put it: 'The first fruit of our sins of the Taurus Reach.'"

"You mean Starbase 47…_Vanguard_?!"

_Vanguard_…distant memory from Kirk's past. And not one he really wanted to remember. Kirk took a drink as Morrow continued.

"Yes, _Vanguard_, that whole big, awful mess twenty years ago. The whole thing has been classified for over fifteen years. But the Tholians brought it back to our attention saying the Genesis Device was made possible only by the _Shedai_ meta-genome. We asked Carol Marcus, who was stationed on _Vanguard_ for a period of time, to confirm this and she did."

"Tell the Tholians to go to hel…"

"Jim, we can't just do that. They stirred up both the Alpha and Beta quadrants with their protests, wouldn't surprise me if they were so loud about it we don't receive messages from the Gamma or Delta quadrants soon. Anyway, we have to address this situation or the Tholians will inform all the other governments of the events at the Taurus Reach."

"They threatened the Federation with that and we're just going to play ball?"

"Yes, so the Council's decision stands."

"Then let me speak to the Council! Harry, please! I can make them understand!" Kirk then realized his voice had risen enough that some people were looking at them. Kirk checked himself but before he could continue Morrow answered him, "No, you understand...! The Council has its hands full with Klingons, Tholians and Romulans! They're trying to hammer out a treaty on the Genesis Device and they haven't got time for your personal views on friendship and metaphysics! Not to mention the unrelated trouble the Gorn are starting to stir up. And Jim, we just received word that a civilian freighter and a Klingon vessel were destroyed near the Federation border."

"Destroyed?!"

"Yes, and now Starfleet has reinforced the area. The Romulans and Klingons have sent their ships near their borders too. Everyone is gearing up for war, God forbid that should happen. Too much is happening too fast."

Kirk remained silent and finished his drink. There was long silence before Morrow spoke again, "Jim! Your life and your career stand for rationality, not intellectual chaos. Keep up this emotional behavior and you'll lose everything. You'll destroy yourself! Do you hear me, Jim?" Kirk knew the admiral meant well but he couldn't just leave it at that. _Damn treaties, politics and the empty threats of war. No one really wants to go to war. My two best friends' lives are at stake. Well, Jim, you tried the official way. Now it's time for drastic action. _Kirk gave a small chuckle and replied, "I hear you. I just had to try." Morrow smiled, "Of course... Now take my suggestion, enjoy your leave…and let all this tension blow away."

"You're right. Thanks for the drink."

"Any time."

Kirk rose out of his seat and started to walk away. "Oh, Harry…" Kirk said as he turned around again.

"Yes, Jim?"

"I might rest better if you could try to get Commander Sulu his command of the _Excelsior_ back." Kirk smiled again. "I'll do my best, I promise." replied Morrow. Kirk walked out of the room, his final statement to the admiral he hoped would distract the admiral into not thinking he would do something drastic about the situation with Spock. As he entered the adjacent room he saw Sulu and Chekov waiting for him. Sulu was the first to speak, "The word, sir?" Kirk grabbed his jacket and replied, "The word is no." He looked at both of them. "I am therefore going anyway." "You can count on our help, sir." said Sulu as they headed for the door. "Thank you, Mr. Sulu, I'll need it. Chekov, any word on Dr. McCoy?" asked Kirk. McCoy had been missing for a while now. "No sir, but we will find him." replied Chekov. They stepped outside into the chilly San Francisco night. Kirk looked up into the starry night. "Good, we have to find him; he has a long journey ahead."

**Mutara Sector, Federation Space**

The _Karzan_ continued its course towards the Genesis planet. Maricus sat in his quarters, pondering on the recent events. Livius' death had been necessary, if he had reported what they had been planning they never would have succeeded. He still couldn't believe they were in Federation space; it had been almost twenty years since the first Romulan ship had entered Federation space since the Earth-Romulan War. Maricus remembered the ship well, the _Gal Gath'thong_, but he remembered the captain even more, Commander Keras.

_**2266**_

**Romulas**

"It's getting late, I really must be going." T'Auethn said as he rose from his seat. "Rest well my old friend." replied Keras. The centurion walked towards the door and turned around before exiting. "It was nice meeting you again sub-commander."

"Please, you can call me Maricus." replied Maricus. "Yes of course. Jolan tru, Maricus." said T'Auethn and he exited the house. Keras and Maricus headed to the study as Titiana and Keras' wife, Arenn continued talking in the kitchen. Keras' house was one of the finest on Romulas; it had three floors and twenty seven rooms. The study had a fire going in the fireplace, as well as hundreds of books on all the bookcases which were on every wall of the room. "T'Auethn is a good officer…" Keras said staring into the fireplace. Maricus noticed Keras had been distracted all evening. _He must have a lot on his mind, but what could it be? _Maricus decided to break the silence, "Yes, he is. He should be a commander by now."

"But that would take him away from his science duties and he doesn't want that." Keras walked over to his music player. He started it and Maricus heard the opening notes to the opera, _I Lata Arham Urri, E'Lev. _[To Death I Go, My Love] The opera was considered by many to be the greatest opera in Romulan history, the story of the young Aev Ralaa, a Romulan soldier who leaves his lover to go fight in the Romulan-Vulcan War and is given suicide mission. He accepts it and is killed.

_How strange that he puts that opera on to listen to. Why?_

"_I Lata Arham Urri, E'Lev, _that is a lovely opera." Maricus told Keras. "Yes, it is." replied Keras.

"Aev's death scene is very touching."

"It is but the scene before he leaves on the mission and wishes to see his love again is more so."

"Still, the opera will always remind me of when I first met Titiana."

Maricus and Keras both sat down next to the fireplace.

"How's your son doing?" asked Maricus.

"We had a little argument today. Nothing serious, but he's at a friend's house tonight."

"He'll make a fine officer one day."

"I hope so. What about you? Planning on starting a family soon?"

"Not yet. Me and Titiana have only been married a year."

"Care for a drink of some ale?"

"Why not."

Keras rose from his seat and went to a cabinet where he kept some bottles of ale. He pulled one out and poured two glasses. The music and voices of _"I Lata Arham Urri, E'Lev" _continued to fill the study.

"I think the Praetor made a wise decision to give you command of our new flagship."

"The _Gal Gath'thong_ is a very impressive ship." Keras gave Maricus one of the glasses and sat back down. "Speaking of that name, are you still planning on taking Titiana to the falls?"

"Yes, she has always wanted to see them." Maricus shifted himself in the seat slightly. "Are you going to take the ship on a tour of the Empire first or have you already been assigned patrol duties?"

"No, we have not. I really shouldn't be telling you this…" Keras took a sip from his glass. "We've been ordered across the Neutral Zone."

"The Neutral Zone!? We haven't crossed it in over one hundred years!"

"This is highly classified; please keep your voice down!"

"Does Arenn know about this?"

"No she does not. And she's not going to."

"For what purpose does this mission serve?"

"The praetor wants to know the Earthers strength now that it has been one hundred years since the war."

"It's possibly a suicide mission. What if they are stronger?"

"I will take that risk." Keras replied softly and looked at the music player. Maricus now knew why Keras had chosen to listen to _"I Lata Arham Urri, E'Lev", _he saw himself as Aev, being sent on a possible suicide mission.

"Now more than ever I wish they granted my request to a member of the crew." Maricus said aloud.

"They never would have, I told them to deny your request."

"YOU WHAT!?" Maricus stood up and then realized how loud he had been.

"Is everything alright in here?" Maricus turned to see Arenn standing in the doorway. Titiana arrived shortly thereafter. "Maricus, is something wrong?" she asked.

"No, nothing, I'm sorry I raised my voice."

Arenn suddenly heard _"I Lata Arham Urri, E'Lev" _playing in the room. She looked at Keras and finally pieced together the significance of the song and reason for his new command. Tears started running down her face as she ran back into the kitchen. Titiana looked at Maricus confused, and then went back into the kitchen to check on Arenn. Maricus walked over to the fireplace. "Why would you do that?" he asked calmly.

"To protect you." Keras replied.

"Protect me?"

"Yes, you've been like a son to me. On your wedding day, I promised Titiana I would protect you. I am doing that here and now."

"How?"

"The mission is going to be dangerous."

"I'm willing to accept the risk."

"Is Titiana? What about your hopes and dreams about starting a family?"

"What about you? What about Arenn?"

"We've been married a long time now. She understands."

"It didn't seem that way to me just now."

"She's a little surprised is all."

Maricus finished his drink and said nothing. Keras stood up and touched him on the shoulder, "Maricus, you've been my finest student. Enjoy your life; make sure your family enjoys all this universe has to offer as well." And they both sat down and listen silently to the rest of _"I Lata Arham Urri, E'Lev"._

_**2285**_

"_Enjoy your life, make sure your family enjoys all this universe has to offer as well."_

Those words Keras had told him still echoed in his mind. But his family was dead now, how was he supposed to enjoy life? It was only a couple of months later that Maricus received the news that Keras and his entire crew had been killed by the Federation starship _Enterprise_. He still missed Keras, his mentor and friend. He would never forget the things he taught him. He picked up a picture he had of the two of them together and looked at it. Titiana had helped Arenn through the first couple of years after her husband's death and it had been a great comfort for her. Arenn died though about ten years later, of a broken heart. Maricus put the picture back down on his desk and turned on the intercom. "Sub-commander, be sure to inform me when we arrive in the system." _"Understood, commander." _was the reply he heard. He switched the comm system off. He had learned a lot from Keras, from stealth strategies to all out warfare. And he was now prepared to use all of it to acquire what he wanted.


	12. Bar Talk and Officers

**Chapter 9: Bar Talk and Officers**

**San Francisco Bar, Earth**

The SF Bar was located only a few minutes away from Starfleet headquarters and the

Golden Gate bridge. Civilians and officers alike, of all species and all worlds, congregated

here for a quick drink, or two, or seven.

Leonard McCoy filed in slowly, attempting to blend in with the rest of the crowd. Some were

having discussions, some were playing holographic dogfighting games, and others were sitting

alone at their booths.

McCoy groaned when he spotted a group of humans nursing a few Tribbles while drinking.

_You'd better have had them fixed, _he thought, remembering all too well the trouble with these

creatures on station K-7.

Loud music blared in the background as he surveyed the place and found a table. He situated

himself into a round, circular booth.

_Try ordering something non-alcoholic, _he instructed himself.

A gorgeous drink servant walked up to his booth with a smile on her face and a revealing outfit.

"Long time, Doc," she addressed him.

McCoy piped up and looked at her. "Yeah…"

The servant picked up a previous users glass.

"Anybody been lookin' for me?" McCoy asked.

"I have, but what's the use? What'll it be?"

"Altair Water," he answered. _Refreshing and non-alcoholic…_

The servant chuckled. "That's not your usual poison."

McCoy glared at her, irritated. "To expect one to order poison in a bar is not logical," he replied sternly.

"Got it." The servant walked away.

_There I go again, _McCoy thought. _You're starting to sound like Spock._

_And I seem to be scaring even the civilians._

An obnoxious slurping noise interrupted him. McCoy looked to see an alien of unknown species downing his drink. An exotic, big-eared fellow with an endless grin to accompany his face.

The alien turned around to face McCoy and stood up, walking towards his booth.

"To you, our planet…welcome!" the mysterious being addressed McCoy as he sat himself down.

He pointed a finger at his chest. "I think that's _my _line, stranger."

"Oh, forgive. I here, am new, but you are known being _McCoy _from…_Enterprise_."

"…you have me at a disadvantage," McCoy said, wondering how this being knew who he was.

"My name, not important," the being said.

_I'm surprised you're not short with green skin," _McCoy thought, thinking back to an old Earth film he viewed long ago in the academy.

"You seek I. Message received. Available ship stands by."

_This could be my ticket to Genesis!_

"How much and how soon?" He asked.

"How soon is now. How much is…where?"

McCoy was getting excited. "Somewhere in the Mutara sector."

The being shook his head. "Oh, Mutara restricted, take permits many! Money, more!"

"There aren't going to be any damn permits! How can you get a permit to do a damn illegal thing?!

"Look, price you name, money I got!"

The being pointed a finger. "Place you name, money I name, otherwise bargain, no!"

_You really are persistent. I'm a doctor, not a negotiator._

McCoy raised his voice. "All right, damn it! It's _Genesis, _the name of the place we're going is _Genesis_!"

The being winced. "GENESIS?!"

McCoy noticed a bunch of guests staring back in his direction.

"Yes, Genesis! How can you be deaf with ears like that?!"

"Genesis allowed, is not! Is planet forbidden!"

Before the being could make his exit, McCoy stood up and grabbed him by his jacket front.

"Look, my backwards friend, Genesis may be planet forbidden, but I'm damn well…"

A firm grip on his shoulder immediately cut him off. He sat back down and was face-to-face with yet another human.

"Sir, I'm sorry, but your voice is carrying. I don't think you want to be discussing this subject in public."

McCoy raised his voice higher. "I'll discuss what I like, and who in the hell are you?"

"Can I offer you a ride home, Doctor McCoy?" the man asked.

In any other situation, McCoy might have rolled his eyes. "Where's the logic in offering me a ride home, you idiot?! If I wanted a ride home, would I be trying to charter a space flight?"

The unknown being grunted in annoyance.

McCoy glared at the man. "How in the hell do you know who I am?"

In response, the man pulled out a device identifying him as a security officer.

_Dammit! _McCoy thought._ Just what I need, to be in trouble with the Federation…_

"Federation security, sir."

_Perhaps I can make a run for it._

He stood up to take off, but before he could even exit his booth, the security officer gripped his jacket and pulled him back down to his seat.

McCoy tried another alternative; he raised his hand and gripped the officer's shoulder. He attempted to pinch the main nerve area to knock him cold in a laughable parody of a Vulcan neck pinch.

He tried several more times, to no avail. McCoy stared at the security officer and was certain he could see his mouth twitching from such a ridiculous stunt.

The officer pushed his hand away.

"You're gonna get a nice, long rest, doctor." He said. This time, there was more than a trace of sarcasm in his tone.

McCoy raised up his eyebrow. _Where and when?_

Outside of the bar, Chekov pulled out his communicator, "Keptain, I have found Dr. McCoy, but security got to him first." "_They'll probably take him to the security center, head back to my apartment, we've have some planning to do." _said Kirk from the other end of the communication. Chekov put the device away and discreetly walked away from the bar into the night.

_**Karzan**_

T'omake entered Maricus' quarters. Maricus was resting comfortably on his bunk. "Commander, I just wanted to inform you that we will be arriving in the Genesis system in the next few hours." T'omake told him.

"Is that all?"

"No, also, all ships functions are working at 100% capacity."

"Surely you didn't come here just to tell me that?"

"No." T'omake said as he sat down. "I really wanted to ask you…is this all worth it?"

"Absolutely; we had to watch Zeulas die in front of our eyes."

"I know. When we got there… Iunia was already dead." T'omake said as he looked down. The thoughts of his dead wife were still painful for him.

"I know. Titiana died shortly after we arrived."

"You know something, I miss Iunia's cooking."

"You always said she was one the greatest cooks."

"That she was. I also miss her company. What about, what do you miss about Titiana?"

Maricus stirred a little in his bunk. "I miss…"

"What?"

"I miss…her singing. Like when she was performing, before I married her. Who knows, maybe if I hadn't married her, she wouldn't have been on Zeulas. Did I kill her…"

"You can't blame yourself for what I happened."

"I spent far too long in space away from her though. We would have been married twenty years this year. Two thousand four hundred and sixteen days in our marriage I spent away from her."

"Our duty required it."

"Duty…duty…"

T'omake rose from his seat and walked away. He turned around at the door and told Maricus,"I'll inform you when we reach the system." Maricus said nothing; he just kept starring at the wall. T'omake exited the cabin.

_Duty…duty…was that worth Titiana's life?_


	13. Worthy Cause

**Chapter 10: Worthy Cause**

Kirk walked into Dr. Chapel's new office. As he looked around he clearly saw it was not a private office; another desk was on the opposite side of the room. Kirk saw Chapel behind her desk with five datapads sitting on her desk. _Looks rather chaotic, _Kirk thought as he walked over to the desk. "Hello Christine." She looked up at him and smiled. "Hello Jim."

"You seem busy."

"You have no idea. Since I took this job it's been nothing but work, and then more work, and the woman I share this office with is nothing but incompetent."

Kirk could see Chapel becoming very flushed as she rose to her feet and went over to a filing cabinet. "Oh, Karen…where did you put those files!" she said to herself. Kirk looked and saw the name plate on the other desk was, "Karen Livingston". Karen's desk was more of a mess then Chapel's. "Did you want something, Admiral?"

"You can call Jim, Christine. And yes, I did want something. I need some Lexorin."

"Lexorin? Whatever for?" Christine asked as she turned to face him. Lexorin was drug that was developed to alleviate symptoms of malaise and/or multiple personality disorder in patients. "I can't tell you that Christine." Kirk told her. "I can't give it to you then." she replied. "Christine…" Kirk began to say as he took hold of her hand. "I need your help. It's about Spock."

"Spock!?"

"Yes."

"But I…"

"Christine, if you had a chance to bring Roger back, wouldn't you take it?" Christine looked down when Kirk mentioned her dead fiancé, Dr. Roger Korby. "Yes, I would, but…"

"Then help me. I just need one hypo of Lexorin."

She looked up at him, "Alright Jim, I'll help you; for Spock's sake."

**Sulu's Apartment**

Sulu stood in his exercise room of his home, practicing his martial arts. For him, it was good way to relax, and he needed a moment to relax. He knew he still had a chance to back out and not assist Kirk. Maybe then he might get command of the _Excelsior. _He had just received a message packet which contained a message from Admiral Morrow, addressed to "Captain" Sulu. _Captain…I have wanted that rank for so long, but now it feels empty. _Inside the packet was Sulu's captain's rank insignia. He had not put it on yet, because now he wasn't sure he wanted to. He finished his routine and walked into the living room where his fifteen year old daughter Demora sat on the couch. "You going out tonight father?" she asked. The way she said "father", always bothered him. She was upset with him, and he didn't blame her. After her mother, Susan Ling, had died when Demora was only six years old, Demora had felt abandoned. With her father always gone off on missions, she had almost no one to look up to. Sulu had begun to make it up to her, first by declining the position of first officer aboard the U.S.S._ Bozeman. _The ship had gone missing though in the Typhon Expanse in 2278, only weeks after Sulu had declined. No one knew the fate of Captain Bateson or his crew. "Demora, there's something I got to do." Sulu told her.

"There is always something."

"Demora, I have always wanted you to love me, you're my daughter. When you're mother died…"

"Don't father, just don't. We've had this discussion one too many times."

"Yes, but when I leave I might not ever see…never mind."

That broken sentence had gotten her attention, she looked up at him. "Father, what's going on?"

"I can't tell you. I just want you to know, I have to do this, and when you find out what it was. Please, think no less of me." He walked over to her and placed an object in her hand. He then kissed her forehead and walked to the door. Before he opened the door, he turned and looked at her, "I loved your mother, very much, and I miss her. But never forget, I love you, Demora." And then he walked out. She looked down and saw the object her had placed in her hands. It was his captain's insignia. "I love you too." she said as she suddenly noticed she was crying.

**Uhura's Apartment**

Uhura sat in her apartment, playing Spock's Vulcan lyre. She would soon leave to go to her post on Starbase One, at the transporter room. Kirk's plan called for someone to be there and Uhura had managed to get posted there with some help from her friend Janice Rand. Rand was one of the officers in charge of assigning people to different posts on the station. Uhura was more than willing to help Kirk but she knew she would have the most trouble getting off the planet and getting to Vulcan. She only hoped the next ship scheduled to arrive at Earth, the U.S.S. _Saratoga _would arrive before Starfleet Command discovered how she had assisted Kirk.

**Chekov's Apartment**

Chekov silently folded his uniform and put it on his bed. He knew it might never wear it again, but Spock was his mentor and friend, and he wasn't about to abandon a chance at saving him. Chekov turned and walked out of his apartment and into the cold, windy San Francisco night. He only wondered if his parents would have understood his decision. _Would you have still have looked at me the same? _Chekov thought as he went to look for a way to get on board the _Enterprise._

**U.S.S. **_**Excelsior**_

Scotty sat inside a Jefferies tube; thinking about his most recent actions. He knew he wouldn't return; at least not as part of Starfleet, so instead of making his wife, Glynn, go through all the embarrassment of his actions, he finally agreed to her divorce arrangement. She had proposed divorce many months earlier but he had insisted that they give their marriage one more chance, but now with was to come he had agreed to it. _I'll miss you Glynn, you were the only thing I loved more than the Enterprise. _Scotty thought as he continued his work.

The plan was set. All that was left was the execution.


	14. The Search For Spock

**Chapter 11: The Search for Spock**

**Genesis Planet**

David and Saavik had been walking for a few miles; they had entered a more winter like climate for a few minutes but still had not found the source of the scream. "Look!" yelled David, pointing at some footprints in the snow. Saavik pulled out her communicator, "Grissom, we have found footprints and are continuing to follow the lifeform." "_Understood Lieutenant, but please exercise caution." _Saavik heard Esteban say. "Understood, Saavik out."

On the Grissom, Esteban couldn't make any sense of what was happening on the planet below. "What the hell is going on down there?"

**Starbase One**

Sulu jogged through the hallway towards McCoy's prison cell. He was ready for any resistance they may encounter for the trip to Vulcan and the theft of the _Enterprise_.

_This will surely end my career in Starfleet_, he thought as he walked along. _But duty to my captain and crew is far more important._

He looked out one of the viewports to see the _Enterprise, Excelsior _and _Kongo _docked. He gave the _Excelsior _one last look. It looked magnificent, being flanked by the two _Constitution-_class vessels. _At least I finally get to see my design in its finished stages…_

As he neared the prison cell, he saw another Starfleet officer walking past, it was Captain Styles.

Sulu suppressed a groan and straightened his uniform.

"Ah, Captain Styles," he began with forced sincerity, "I didn't expect to see you here."

Styles smiled. "Just passing through on my way to the_ Excelsior_," he gazed at the ship and continued with a mock sympathetic tone, "I was so sorry you couldn't get a chance to command that beauty, but I suppose there will always be another ship to command in a few years, eh?" He shot a smug grin at Sulu.

"With all due respect, sir, your assignment to the _Excelsior _is only temporary, isn't it?

Styles chuckled. "Well, not from where I'm standing. It's only temporary if I decide to give her up _after _this Genesis business."

Sulu kept a smile on his face even though he wanted to say, _"You won't get far if you keep up that arrogant attitude."_

Instead, Sulu merely put out his hand to shake Styles'. "In any case, I wish you well in commanding such a fine ship."

Styles did not reach out to shake Sulu's hand, but instead kept a straight posture.

"Oh, I think I will do an impressive job commanding her, Sulu." And then he walked past him, his arrogant smile never leaving his face.

Sulu continued his trek to the prison cell. _Couldn't Starfleet have chosen someone a little less arrogant?!_

Kirk was escorted by a Starfleet guard to where McCoy was being held. Everything was in place; Kirk just hoped it would work. _Am I doing the right thing?_ Kirk thought as he walked through the doorway. "Make it quick, Admiral. They're moving him to the Federation funny farm." said the guard. _My God, how stupid are the top people in Starfleet that they have already decided that Bones is crazy? Maybe I'm too intelligent to be an admiral. _"Yes, poor friend. I hear he's fruity as a nutlike." Kirk said sarcastically. The guard just frowned at Kirk as unlocked the forcefield, "Two minutes." Kirk entered the cell and moved over to McCoy who was resting on the bed. Kirk grabbed his shoulder, he was grateful he hadn't gotten himself hurt. McCoy turned around and saw Kirk kneeling beside him. "Jim!" Kirk held his hand in the Vulcan V salute and asked, "How many fingers do I have up?"

"That's not very damn funny."

"I see your sense of humor has returned."

"The hell it has."

Kirk pulled a syringe out of his pocket. McCoy's eyes widened.

"What's that?"

"Lexorin." replied Kirk.

"Lexorin?! What for?"

"You're suffering from a Vulcan mind meld, Doctor."

"That green blooded son of a bitch! It's his revenge for all the arguments he lost…"

_Remember…._

_DAMMIT SPOCK! Just shut up for once you green blooded Vulcan!_

Kirk looked at the doorway to make sure the guard wasn't watching, and then looked back at McCoy. "Give me your arm. This will make you well enough to travel."

"I don't like needles."

"It's true."

"What is?"

"Doctors do make the worst patients."

Outside the cell, Sulu entered and walked up to the two guards and waved his security card at them. "Where's Admiral Kirk?" he asked. The guard standing replied, "He's with the prisoner."

"Get him quickly. Commander Starfleet Morrow wants him right away." The guard fished his pockets for his electronic key and walked towards the cell. The other guard sitting at the desk stretched and yawned. He looked extremely bored. "Keeping you busy?" asked Sulu with a smile. The guard stood up, showing his larger size to Sulu. Sulu smiled, the guard didn't smile back, "Don't get smart, Tiny."

Meanwhile the other guard had entered the cell and walked over to Kirk. "Admiral… Starfleet is…" Before he could finish Kirk interrupted him, "This man is sick! Look at him!" The guard leaned over McCoy. Kirk knew this was the moment. _This is it, no going back. For Spock and McCoy both, here goes nothing. _Kirk punched the guard in the head, knocking him unconscious.


	15. Stealing The Enterprise

**Chapter 12: Stealing the **_**Enterprise**_**.**

Sulu heard the sound of Kirk's fist making contact with the guard's face. Now, it was his turn to act. Sulu quickly grabbed hold of the taller guard's arm, twisted him around, and pinned him against the wall. Kirk walked out, dragging McCoy along.

"Side elevator, agents on their way up!"

The guard he tangoed with was fidgeting in his grip, but Sulu quickly yanked him from the wall and twisted him down to the floor.

Kirk and McCoy looked back at him. Before heading to the elevator, he removed his electronic disruptor. Sparks flew and mechanics shattered as Sulu fanned the device over the security panel.

_Try pursuing us now, _he thought.

As he entered the elevator, he looked down at the unconscious guard.

"_Don't _call me 'tiny'."

Perhaps this guard should have studied martial arts; he may have realized that being tiny was actually an advantage.

As the elevator closed, the entranceway to the cell opened, and several guards attempted to pursue, but were too late.

Sulu felt the lift skyrocket. He was on the left side of McCoy, with Kirk on the right side.

"Unit two, this is unit one," Kirk said through his communicator, "The _Kobayashi Maru _has set sail for the promised land. Acknowledge."

The voice of Pavel Chekov replied, _"Message acknowledged, all units vill be onboard."_

McCoy looked at Kirk, smiling halfway, putting on his coat. "You're taking me to the promised land?"

"What are friends for?" replied Kirk.

As the lift continued its trajectory, Sulu forced a grin. He wondered if he would ever get a second chance to command the _Excelsior._

_Or, would I ever serve on a Federation vessel again?_

_**Excelsior**_

__The _Excelsior, _a giant compared to the _Enterprise, _sat motionless in the starbase's docking bay.

As Montgomery Scott trudged through the engineering section, he wondered why exactly Captain Styles ordered all of her running lights on.

_Keep this behavior up for much longer, and your ego will destroy the ship!_

Having just received Admiral Kirk's message, Scott walked toward one of the ship's lifts, he caught the doors opening. Captain Laurence Styles walked out, bearded with brown hair, and a snarky facial expression.

"Ah, Mister Scott," Styles addressed without much enthusiasm, "Calling it a night?"

"Ah, yessir," he responded.

Styles enthusiasm and pride seemed to skyrocket immediately.

"Turning in myself, looking forward to breaking some of the _Enterprise'_s speed records tomorrow. What is the _Enterprise's_ speed record?"

"Uh…warp fourteen point one." _And that nearly destroyed the poor girl._

Styles chuckled. "We'll just be getting up to speed when we break that record."

_If she ever gets out of docking bay…_

Scott focused all of his strength not to insult the egomaniac. Instead, he forced a chuckle and walked past Styles.

"Yessir, good night."

He watched Styles depart. _The man does'na deserve such a fine ship! Especially since Sulu was supposed to take'er._

As he entered the lift, a voice intervened.

"Level, please?"

_What the-? _He thought. _A male computer voice…what is this, the I.S.S. _Excelsior_?_

"Transporter room." He ordered.

"Thank you."

_And it has manners? _Scott rolled his eyes, "Up yer shaft…!"

After this mission, Scott contemplated on getting rid of this obnoxious voice. Perhaps Doctor Chapel would be interested in lending her voiceprint…

The lift seemed to jerk as it went up.

_Temper, Temper…_

The lift arrived to its destination.

**Starbase One Transporter Room**

Uhura sat down in the starbase's transporter room with a lieutenant named Roger Heisenberg. She had also received Admiral Kirk's message. She had to be certain his theft of the _Enterprise _was uninterrupted, first.

"Roger," she began, "Old City Station at twenty-two hundred hours, all is well."

"_Understood, all stations clear,"_ answered a female flight controller.

She stood up to walk towards Heisenberg.

"You amaze me, commander," the young lieutenant said.

"Oh, how is that?" Uhura answered as she sat on the seat next to his.

"A twenty-year space veteran, yet you choose the worst duty station in town."

_Worse than working for the Department of Temporal Investigations? _She asked herself.

Heisenberg continued as Uhura hit a few buttons, "I mean, look at this place! _This _is the hind-end of space."

Uhura nearly burst out laughing; _Heisenberg must think he's ready for actual combat._

"Peace and quiet appeals to me, lieutenant."

Heisenberg smirked. "Yeah, well, maybe that's okay for someone like you, whose career is winding down…"

Uhura gazed sharply at the lieutenant. _Winding down? I'm not finished with Starfleet yet!_

"But me," he went on, "I need some challenge in my life! Some adventure…maybe even just a surprise or two."

_Perhaps one day, you have a probe wipe your mind like I did or you'll fly a ship against the Doomsday Machine, or end up several light-years away from the Alpha Quadrant._

Uhura forced a smile, still stung by the young man's remark about 'winding down'.

"You know what they say, lieutenant. Be careful what you wish for, you may get it."

Before Heisenberg could say anything else, the doorway hissed open. Uhura noticed his mouth opening wide. He stood up from his chair.

Admiral Kirk, Commander Sulu and Doctor McCoy walked casually into the room.

"Good evening, Commander," Kirk addressed her, "is everything ready?"

She watched as all three men walked toward the transporter.

"Step inside my parlor, gentlemen."

They each filed onto a pad.

Heisenberg leaned in to whisper, "That's Admiral Kirk, my god!"

Ignoring his shock and awe, Uhura simply said, "Very good for you, lieutenant."

"But it's damn irregular! No destination, no encoded ID's."

"All true."

"Well, what are we gonna do about it?!"

Uhura shook her head. "I'm not gonna do anything about it. But you're gonna sit in the closet."

"The closet?!" Heisenberg probably thought she was joking.

"What, have you lost all your sense of reality?"

Uhura grinned. "This isn't reality." She produced a phaser from her pocket and aimed it at Heisenberg.

The lieutenant's face showed his fear, he stepped back.  
"This is fantasy! You wanted adventure, how's this?" The phaser was on stun, but she had no intention of actually _shooting _a fellow officer; even one as annoying as Roger Heisenberg.

"Feel the adrenaline going, huh?" she asked. Heisenberg began to shake from fear, and he quickly nodded his head 'yes'.

"Good." The motioned her head to a storage area, "Now get in the closet!"

"Okay," Heisenberg said. He slowly backed in the direction of the closet, nearly losing his footing.

"Um…" he faltered. Uhura would not lower the weapon.

"Go on."

Heisenberg was near the closet now.

"Go on!"

He backed himself into the closet. "I'll just… get in the closet!"

Uhura still did not lower the phaser, she pretended she was about to fire.

"Okay!" Heisenberg collapsed and sat down, the closet door shut.

She turned to face her three fellow crewmen. It was good to see them again.

"I'm glad you're on _our _side," McCoy said.

_I can always count on you for sarcasm, Bones_, Uhura thought happily.

Kirk looked ready to laugh himself. "Can you handle that, uh..."

"Oh, I'll have Mister 'Adventure' eating out of my hand, sir. Remember his commanding officer is our mutual friend Janice Rand. I'll see all of you at the rendezvous."

Kirk nodded.

"Oh, and admiral?" she added.  
Kirk waited for her to continue.

"All my hopes."

Kirk smiled back at her. Uhura hoped their mission to save Captain Spock would be a simple task.

She threw the transporter dial. In that moment, the forms Kirk, McCoy, and Sulu were enshrouded in blue from the transporter pad. Then they disappeared.

_**Enterprise**_

All was quiet in the docking bay. Only a hand full of starships sat inside, the largest and fastest of these was the _Enterprise, Kongo _and _Excelsior_.

All of the flight controllers and repair crew turned in for the night.

Anyone on duty would have noticed the _Enterprise_'s bridge lighting up from within…

The lift door opened to admit Kirk, McCoy, and Sulu. Kirk noticed Scott at the navigator station, with Chekov beside him. Scott and Chekov had managed to get aboard with the story that they wanted to compare some circuitry on the _Enterprise_ compared to some on the _Excelsior. _The docking crew had bought the story and let them onboard.Kirk walked up to Scott whilst surveying the ship's bridge.

_It's good to be back, _he thought.

"As promised, she's all yours, sir," Scott said. "All systems automated and ready. A chimpanzee and two trainees could run her!"

Everyone but McCoy chuckled.

With a smile on his face, Kirk said, "Thank you, Mister Scott. I'll try not to take that personally." He knew it would take far more than that to take the _Enterprise _to Genesis.

Now the rest of his crew gazed at him meaningfully.

Kirk took a deep breath. "My friends…I can't ask you to go any further. Doctor McCoy and I have to do this, the rest of you do not."

But almost immediately, Kirk knew none of these loyal officers would exit the bridge. They would all risk everything to rescue Spock, even their careers.

"Admiral," Chekov began, "Ve're losing precious time!"

Sulu smiled enthusiastically, "What course, please, admiral?"

_Thank you, gentlemen. _Kirk thought.

"Mister Scott?"

"I'd be grateful, admiral, if you'd give the word," Scott replied.

Kirk paused for a moment. _This is it, after you steal the ship, there's no turning back._

_Now, or never._

"Gentlemen," Kirk stared, "May the wind be at our backs. Stations, please."

Immediately, everyone filed to their designated station. Sulu, removing his jacket, sat down at the helm. Scott activated the navigational station, and Chekov took his place at the security station. Kirk stood in front of the center chair.

"Engage auto systems," Kirk ordered.

"Aye, engaged!" Scott replied.

"Clear all moorings."

"Clearing, sir!" Sulu.

"One-quarter impulse power," Kirk ordered Sulu as he sat down in-not his-_Spock'_s center chair with McCoy beside it.

"One-quarter impulse," Sulu repeated, manipulating the helm console.

Several thoughts rushed through Kirk's mind. _Should I cancel this order now, and return to my quarters?_

_No, _he thought;_ if I do that, Spock remains on Genesis, and McCoy could very well die._

The ship's engines hummed to life, her running lights brightening her visage. Slowly but surely, the battle-worn _Enterprise _reversed away from her moorings and towards the docking bay doors.

From security, Chekov turned to face Kirk.

"Sir, commander Starfleet on emergency channel, he orders you to surrender this wessel…"

But Chekov knew Kirk would not quit this easily.

"No reply, Chekov."

"Aye, sir."

Chekov looked out the viewscreen and heard Kirk.

"Steady as she goes, Sulu."

Sulu appeared to remain calm as he reversed the vessel to the bay doors.

_**Excelsior**_

In his stateroom aboard the _Excelsior, _Captain Laurence Styles lay down in his bed, lights on. Try as he might, he simply could not sleep. He was far too anxious to take the _Excelsior _out tomorrow and prove his ship's superiority over Kirk's.

_When I'm done, people will remember _me. _They'll remember _Excelsior; _I'll see to it that the Klingons and the Romulans never assault the Federation again, I'll-_

A low chime interrupted his train of thought.

"_Yellow alert!" _the voice of his executive officer, Commander Henreid, came over the comm line. "_Captain to the bridge, yellow alert!"_

It was damn peculiar to Styles. He pressed the voice console.

"Bridge, this is the captain…how can you have a yellow alert in spacedock?"

"_Sir…someone is stealing the _Enterprise!"

Styles piped up, grinning. _Looks like I get to test you early, _he thought, thinking of the _Excelsior._

"I'm on my way."

Very few staff members were awake, but anyone asleep would have noticed a loud voice repeating, _"Alert, yellow alert! All stations, yellow alert!"_

Cleaning staff and personnel alike all noticed the damaged _Enterprise; _the flagship of the Federation, slowly reversing in spacedock.

The iconic vessel took a slow turn to starboard and followed the station's running lights that ended at the bay doors.

Kirk sat in his chair, on edge.

"One minute to space doors," Sulu said.

Kirk kept a sharp eye on the _Excelsior_, not wanting to risk pursuit from this new, clearly superior ship.

"Are you just gonna _walk _through them?" McCoy asked, clearly nervous.

"Calm yourself, Doctor," Kirk ordered. But even he was edgy. What if the doors didn't open?

Negative thoughts plagued him as the _Enterprise _backed up closer to the doors.

"Sir," it was Chekov, "_Excelsior _powering up with orders to pursue."

"Any other vessels Mr. Chekov?" asked Kirk. _I don't want a whole fleet pursuing us._

"No sir, the only ships in spacedock or in the system that can match our speed are the _Excelsior_ and the _Kongo_, and the _Kongo_ is undergoing refit and is not operational at this time." _Thank God for that, _Kirk thought, _Captain Kosnett of the Kongo is twice the commander that Styles is, I wouldn't want him chasing us. He's the type to shoot first and ask questions later._

"Keptain, the _Excelsior _has fully powered up."

_Damn, _Kirk thought. _Scotty, hurry up with the doors…_

_**Excelsior**_

Captain Styles sped onto the ship's bridge. It was a complete upgrade from the early Starfleet vessels, but of course, every station was in the same spot.

As Styles walked to his chair, he addressed Henreid, "Status?"

The Executive Officer sat at the navigator station temporarily.

"All automates ready and functioning, automatic moorings retracted, and all speeds available through transwarp drive."

Styles chuckled. "Incredible machine. Is the _Kongo _available to help us?"

"No sir, their warp drive has been taken offline for the refit."

_Very good, _Styles thought, though he would never say it out loud. _All the credit will go to me then, it's my show now._

He sat down in his chair, ready to pursue the _Enterprise _and Kirk; and ready to try the new transwarp engines.

"Helm, one-quarter impulse power."

Almost immediately, the _Excelsior'_s nacelles flared up. The massive ship slowly began moving towards her target.

_**Enterprise**_

Sulu kept his hands at the helm while watching the _Excelsior _exit from her moorings.

"Thirty seconds to space doors," he said with a slight razor's edge.

_That should've been _my _ship…but could I have obeyed the orders to stop Kirk?_

As the _Enterprise _continued her trajectory, Sulu saw Kirk walk to the Scott at the navigator's station.

"And…now, Mister Scott!"

"Sir?" the engineer asked, clearly confused.

Kirk gazed at him, "The doors, Mister Scott!"

"Aye, sir, I'm workin' on it!"

That was the last think Sulu wanted to hear.

The viewscreen switched to the doors, and Sulu momentarily recoiled. They s_till _hadn't opened!

The iconic female computer voice echoed, _"Danger, space doors are closed. Danger."_

Was it his imagination, or did it sound to Sulu like the computer was actually _worried_?

Sulu remained in position even as the large doors beckoned. Kirk, Scott, McCoy and Chekov appeared wide-eyed.

_Open, or the _Enterprise _is history!_

He could see Scotty beside him, struggling with the door controls. It was only a matter of time before the ship's nacelles made contact with the doors.

Collision alarms sounded, and for a moment, he thought the mission was over.

Then, blessedly, the mighty doors broke open slowly. He could see looks of surprise from Kirk and Scott, mouths open.

The _Enterprise _barely fit thought the doorway. But it was now certain; they were going to make it. As the doors continued opening, the ship began to exit slowly.

"We have cleared space doors!" Sulu said with success.

_This is why we call you the miracle worker, Scotty._

The _Enterprise _reversed out of the starbase's docking bay. As she slowly turned to starboard, the much-larger _Excelsior _began her pursuit, increasing speed towards the exit, and was gaining. The chase was on.

"Full impulse power," Kirk ordered.

"Aye, sir," Sulu replied.

Kirk stared out of the viewscreen towards earth, perhaps for the last time.

Then the _Enterprise _flared to full impulse and plunged outward.

_**Excelsior**_

__"Stand by, tractor beam," Styles addressed Henreid as he watched the docking bay slip from his vision.

"Tractor beam, aye."

_Just wait, Kirk, you'll wish you never took off with that obsolete ship…_

"If he tries to get away with warp drive," he said with a smirk, "he's really in for a shock!"

The _Enterprise _banked and glided swiftly under the mushroom cap-shaped top of the starbase. The damaged ship cut through space at full impulse; she would have to fly a fair distance away from earth, otherwise there would be a risk of the ship ripping apart while going to warp.

Not so far behind, the _Excelsior _burst into space and began trailing the _Enterprise._

_**Enterprise**_

__Kirk stood between Sulu and Scott as the _Enterprise _increased speed to evade her pursuer.

"_Excelsior _closing to four thousand meters, sir," Chekov said.

"Scotty, we'll need everything you have!" Kirk addressed Scott.

"Aye, sir, warp drive standing by."

As Kirk sat down in the chair, Captain Style's voice entered the bridge.

"_Kirk, if you do this, you'll never sit in the captain's chair again."_

Kirk severed the communication. Commanding a starship was the last thing on his mind.

_If rescuing my best friend and first officer means risking the chair, so be it._

"Warp speed!" Kirk ordered.

"Aye, sir," Sulu said as he powered up the nacelles. "Warp speed!"

Immediately, the starry visage met the ship's viewscreen.

The _Enterprise _lurched into warp.

_**Excelsior**_

___No way, Kirk, _Styles thought as he watched the _Enterprise _speed out of the Sol System.

"Prepare for warp speed, stand by, transwarp drive."

Bridge crew immediately began preparing for the ship's first transwarp test.

Commander Henreid made the last few adjustments. "Transwarp at your command, sir."

"_Full power available," _the male computer voice said.

"Execute," Styles ordered.

Styles was expecting the ship to go at the highest speed of any Starfleet vessel.

He sat with anticipation as the warp drive hummed and revved to full power.

Several seconds later, it completely shut off.

Styles was shocked. _A new ship that was never field-tested is failing at warp drive?_

He surveyed the bridge. _Surely, this must be a mistake. We should at least be at warp five..._

The helm officer and Henreid struggled to assess the matter, the former trying to start up warp drive, or to figure out this glitch.

"_Full power available," _the computer repeated.

Styles stood up and stared at the transwarp factor computer. Everything appeared normal.

_So why the hell is the ship stuck here?_

Then the computer deactivated, replaced with the words, _GOOD MORNING CAPTAIN._

Even Henreid looked perplexed.

The computer began, _"Transwarp drive, maximum velocity, in five, four, three, two, one…"_

The voice trailed off. Styles looked around at the bridge, the crew members' faces showing they were confused.

The _Excelsior_'s engines powered down. The new and supposedly improved starship hung dead in space.

Styles sat back in his chair, his pride leaving him. "Sir, the _Kongo _is hailing us, they want to know why we haven't continued pursuit." the communications officer informed him.

_Great, now not only have a failed, I'm also embarrassed in front of Starfleet._

_Well played, Admiral Kirk._

"Open a channel." ordered Styles, "Ah, Captain Kosnett, we seemed to have been sabotaged…"

_Well played indeed..._

_**Enterprise**_

__The _Enterprise _blazed through the stars to her destination. Kirk stood up from his chair.

"Scotty, as good as your word."

"Aye, sir," Scott replied, "The more they over-think the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the drain." He turned in his chair to face McCoy.

"Here, Doctor, souvenirs from one surgeon to another."

Scotty dropped a series of circuits into the doctor's hands. He gazed at them curiously.

"I took them out of her main transwarp computer drive."

Kirk caught McCoy giving him a stern look. "Nice of you to tell me in advance!" he said sarcastically.

Kirk simply replied, "That's what you get for missing staff meetings." He paused to breathe, and then added, "Gentlemen, your work today has been outstanding. I intend to recommend you all for promotion, in whatever fleet we end up serving."

_Even if it's just an ore processing barge, _Kirk thought.

"Best speed to Genesis," he ordered.

With no other ships pursuing and no resistance, the _Enterprise _flew for Genesis; and to Spock.


	16. Just Like Old Times

**Chapter 13: Just Like Old Times…**

**Mutara Sector**

The Karzan entered the system of the Genesis Planet; it had entered on the far side of the system as not to be detected. "Cloak is functioning normally, we will be arriving at the planet in the next twenty minutes." reported Ral'k. "Very good, I'll inform the commander." replied T'omake as he rose from the command chair. He walked towards Maricus' quarters, his thoughts completely on the mission at hand. Maricus' thoughts lay elsewhere as he lay in his bunk. He looked at the picture of Titiana he had laying on his desk. It was a picture of her he had taken outside their home, ten years ago. Her smile in the picture always warmed his heart and helped on the long missions from home. Now it gave him focus, his thought went back to Zeulas, his home…to Titiana, his wife…and Livia, his only child…

_**2283**_

"No need to be so formal when we are in private company, T'omake. I consider you a friend." Maricus told his executive officer. They were on Romulas, the _Karzan _had landed two months ago from some minor refitting and was prepared to launch. "Yes, commander, I'll remember that." said T'omake as he went up the ramp into the _Karzan._ They were about to embark on a mission to discover the location of the Romulan rebels. The rebels had been attacking worlds thought the Empire since 2281 and the time had come to put an end to them. Maricus had almost finished boarding the craft when suddenly a very young officer came running up to him. "Yes, what is it?" asked Maricus. "Commander, your wife Titiana is here and wishes to speak with you." replied the officer. "Show me where she is." Maricus told him as they headed down the ramp. "Commander, we've been ordered to depart now." T'omake called after him. Maricus ignored him as he followed the young officer. "You just enter into the fleet?" he asked. "Yes, commander." the officer replied nervously. The officer tugged slightly at his blue shoulder drape, as he said, "I've been on assignment on Romulas for two hundred and sixty one days." "What is your name?" "Tomalak, rank Uhlan." He pointed towards some cargo crates. "There she is." "Thank you Tomalak, you may go." Maricus said as he gestured him away. Tomalak noticed he had addressed him by his name, not his rank of Uhlan. "Thank you sir." he said as walked away. Maricus almost ran to Titiana but walked instead in case of any officers who might be watching. When he reached Titiana he held her in his arms for what seemed like a lifetime. They spoke no words as they stood there until Maricus heard a little voice say, "Father, where are you going?" He looked down to see his six year old daughter looking up at him. The innocence on her face was almost overwhelming to Maricus, how the galaxy could be perceived as only such an adventurous place was the greatest gift. He kneeled down, placed his hand gently on the back of her head, and looked into her eyes. "I'm going to the Talvath system. It's very far from here. On the other side of the Empire." he told her. "I'm going to look up that system on that star map you gave me." she giggled. "Yes, you do that." He said as he rubbed her black hair. It had gone out to her shoulders and was slightly curly. "We'll have to get your hair cut like your mother when I get back." he said looking up at Titiana. She smiled at that, as she had the very common short black hair style that had been becoming common place since the late 2270's. Maricus hugged Livia tightly; he wouldn't see her again for several months. "Now you be good Livia, be good for your mother." He said nearly on the verge of tears. He hated leaving her all time at this point in her life, it wasn't good for her. "I will Father."

"Promise?"

"Promise." she said as he let go of her. She squatted down a few meters away and began playing with a toy she had gotten for her most recent birthday. Maricus stood up and looked at his wife. She looked so worried now, she had been worried before when he went on missions but this was different. "I'm taking Livia, and going back to Zeulas." she told him. He grabbed her arms and held her gently. "Why?"

"I love Zeulas, it's our true home. I hate Romulas."

"Zeulas is our home and we do still have our cottage there but this is sudden."

"Don't you see? Servius wants you dead. He hates you, especially after what you did to him recently."

"I revealed his command flaws, nothing more."

"In front of everyone, he has friends in the senate. He's the one that got you this mission. He's sending you to your death…." She began to cry, and he kissed her forehead. "Don't cry my love." he told her in a whisper. "Commander!" Maricus heard T'omake call after him. "Go back to Zeulas; I'll meet you there when the mission is over." She looked at him, tears running down her face. "Commander, we must leave now!" T'omake called again. "How do you know you'll come back? I don't want to lose you like Arenn lost Keras." she said to her husband, "What about our plans for a son?"

"We still have them. I promise I will return." he told her and before she could reply he gave her a deep kiss. It was the most passionate, the most loving kiss he had given to her since they had said their vows. They part lips and one last time looked into each other's eyes. "Make sure Livia keeps up with her schooling, till I come back. I love you." he told her as he walked away and boarded the _Karzan_. The ship finished final flight checks and took off. Maricus looked out a window near the landing hatch and kept his eyes on his family until they had disappeared from sight.

_I love you…_

_**2285**_

He was correct, he did survive, but when he got back, Zeulas was a dying planet. He only ever saw his wife one more time. _And I wasn't able to touch her, I was stuck behind that glass…_the door chimed. "Come." he said and T'omake entered. "Sir, you wished to be informed when we arrived at the planet." T'omake informed him. Maricus rose from his bunk and asked, "Any ships?"

"Yes, one Federation _Oberth_-class vessel is in orbit."

"I'm on my way." T'omake saluted and walked out. Maricus began putting on his boots. _So it begins…_


	17. Discovery On Genesis

**Chapter 14: Discovery on Genesis**

**Genesis Planet**

David and Saavik walked through the snow, as a blizzard had hit them less than an hour before. The storm was increasing in intensity. Saavik checked her tricorder to make sure they still were heading towards the lifeform. _It probably won't be living much longer if the temperature drops any further. _Saavik thought as they went around a large rock. As they turned they saw what appeared to be a humanoid curled up into a fetal position. It was wearing a black robe but was still freezing. Saavik and David ran over a looked to the humanoid was a Vulcan male, but they were more shocked when they saw the face of the Vulcan…it was Spock. "Captain Spock!" yelled David when he saw who it was. It just couldn't be him…or could it. "Spock." said Saavik but Spock remained silent. He looked just like he did when she served on the Enterprise, but his face seemed blank, like he was looking at nothing. Saavik then spoke in her native tongue, ["Spock, it is I, Saavik, can you speak? Can you hear me?"] Spock remained silent; he looked at her, with a continued blank look on his face. _Your Katra is gone! _Saavik realized as she looked at David. "The Genesis wave, his cells could have been regenerated. Restoring him back to life, but it seems his mind is blank." David told her, Saavik looked back at Spock and saw he had a wound on his foot. "He's stepped on a thorn, that must be why we heard him scream." Saavik told David. David proceeded to pull out the minor medical supplies they had as Saavik pulled out her communicator. "Captain, this is Saavik. Come in, please…" She heard Esteban's voice answer her, "_Yes, Saavik, go ahead…_"

"We have found the life sign. It is…" She hesitated; she still could believe it was him. "Captain Spock."

There was pause on the other end. "_Captain Spock! How is he alive, what does he say_?!"

"It is Dr. Marcus' opinion that…that the Genesis effect has in some way regenerated Captain Spock. But his mind seems blank at the moment; he doesn't speak and appears to have no memory." She touched his face and he responded by touching her face. _He isn't completely brain dead._

"_Ah, Saavik, that's, ah…extraordinary. What would you…ah, like to do next?"_

"Request permission to beam aboard immediately."

_"Saavik…does Dr. Marcus think there could be…any chance of…ah…radioactive contamination?"_

Saavick turned to David and David shook his head and replied, "No."

"None that I can detect, sir." she replied.

_"Well, all the same, I'm going to advise Starfleet and get instructions."_

Saavik and David looked at each other. Of course they knew he was going to say that. The captain was competent, but he wasn't ever willing to think independently, it was always by the book.

"I'm sure Starfleet would approve, sir. The temperature is dropping too rapidly to remain here." Saavik told the captain, knowing though that it would be futile.

_"I know, but - let's do it by the book. Stand by on this channel."_

_**Grissom**_

Esteban turned to his communications officer, "Hail Starfleet. Go." The comm officer opened hailing frequencies, "Starfleet Command, this is the U.S.S. _Grissom_ on sub-space coded channel ninety eight point eight. Come in, please…" Suddenly instead of Starfleet, they heard an odd sound on the speakers. "Sir…something's jamming our transmission. An energy surge." the comm officer told Esteban. "Locate." the captain ordered. "Surge from astern, sir. Aft quarter! It's from a vessel." "Is it Tholian?" asked Esteban. _Starfleet warned me the Tholians might make a play at the planet considering its proximity to Tholian space, but how could they have entered the system without us knowing about it? _"On screen." Esteban ordered. The screen activated, and instead of seeing possibly a _Quartz-_class Tholian ship, he saw a simmering distortion which was ship de-cloaking. When it finished de-cloaking, Esteban sat in his chair staring at a Romulan _War Eagle_-class attack curser. "Oh, my God! Raise shields." Esteban ordered. They ship had barely raised her shields when the whole ship shook from disrupter fire.

_**Karzan**_

On the bridge of his ship, Maricus watched as the disruptors bounced against the _Grissom's _shields.

_This is it, citizens of Zeulas, _he thought, _this is our chance to restore our home planet._

["Status report,"] Maricus addressed his gunner.

["They have raised shields,"] The male gunner named Decessus called out.

Maricus gripped the edges of his chair. [You fool, you didn't fire fast enough. We'll do this the hard way, move twenty degrees to port and fire disruptors on their number five shield.]

Maricus could feel the ship turning shortly after he gave the order.

["Continue firing, target their engines only, understood?"]

_**Grissom**_

The science vessel came about to face the _Karzan._ Orange phaser blasts lanced from the saucer section and hit the Romulan vessel's shields.

The _Karzan _immediately unleashed a burst of disruptor fire and a single plasma torpedo, which dented the _Grissom's _shields.

The ship lurched violently as the barrage scored a direct hit.

"REPORT!" Esteban shouted over the alarm.

"Captain, our shields are down to forty percent, they took down our warp drive with their first shot. They're trying to punch a hole in our number five shield. I'm routing some of the number three shield power to reinforce it." replied the weapons officer. "Hard to starboard, keep shields five and six away from them. Fire aft phasers now!' ordered Esteban. The ship fired again, but being a science vessel, it did not have powerful phasers. "Our weapons are barely damaging them!" the weapons officer reported.

**Genesis**

Saavik heard the alarm echoing through her communicator and winced, as did David.

"Captain, what's happening?"

"_We're under attack! Re-enforce number four shield now mister Landon! Continue taking evasive action! Saavik, you..." _was all Esteban yelled before the communication was severed.

_**Karzan**_

["Captain, the Federation vessel's shields are low!"] Decessus, the Karzan's gunner, reported with victory showing in his voice.

["Very well"], Maricus said with joy. ["Continue firing at their aft shield, use both torpedoes and disruptors! Two plasma torpedoes should cripple them."]

Decessus nodded.

Maricus grinned, _Titiana, our world is getting a second chance! _He wanted to shout.

_**Grissom**_

__The _Karzan _peppered _Grissom _with disruptor fire and another torpedo shot.

In the bridge, sparks flew about as the small vessel rocked. Smoke began to fill the bridge.

"Sir," the weapons officer called out, "Shields are down to twenty percent. Shield number four is gone, recommend a high energy turn to swing the ship around, shield number one is still strong." "Do it." ordered Esteban. Esteban gripped his chair tightly as the ship turned very hard to starboard. A high energy turn was a potentially risking move as it could add a great deal of stress to the hull. It was recommended by Starfleet engineers as a onetime maneuver before being put into a starbase. The ship was now facing the _Karzan_. "Fire everything we got!" ordered Esteban.

_**Karzan**_

["A high energy turn, as I expected."], said Maricus. He was one of the best Romulan commanders of all time; he knew how to beat almost every strategy of any other captain in the quadrant. ["Continue firing torpedoes."], he ordered calmly.

_**Grissom**_

The ship rocked as another torpedo hit the forward shields. "Shield number one is nearly collapsed. A couple more hits like that could finish us!"

_Judging by the target choices that may not be their intention…_

"Lieutenant, are you able to determine their main target."

The weapons officer said, "Sir, it appears they are targeting our engines!"

_They must want to take hostages…which would mean they want Genesis…_

There was only one option.

"Helm, shut down our engines, all stop!"

The helm officer gave Esteban a quizzical look before complying. _Grissom _went silent as her engines powered down.

He stood up and approached the weapons station.

"Lieutenant, as soon as they fire another torpedo, lower shields, zero percent!"

"Captain?!"

"That's an order, lieutenant!"

The young officer trembled and almost hesitated.

"Sir, why…"

Esteban yelled, "I gave you an order, lieutenant! Do not question it! They must not be allowed to capture the Genesis files."

On the viewscreen they saw the _Karzan_ fire another plasma torpedo. With the tap of a few buttons, the shields lowered and the _Grissom_ became a sitting duck.

_**Karzan**_

[Commander, they have lowered their shields!"], said T'omake. ["What!?"], asked Maricus. He watched the viewscreen as the torpedo neared the Federation vessel. There wasn't thing he or any of his crew could do to stop the torpedo.

_**Grissom**_

Esteban returned to his seat. "We can't allow them to have the Genesis device; they will kill millions with it. Our sacrifice is for your families, gentlemen. It's been an honor serving with you!" His last thought was: _Always by the book, Jonathan. Well, damn the book to hell!_

The _Grissom _took a direct hit to stern and the entire vessel ripped apart in space.

_**Karzan**_

Maricus watched as the science ship exploded before his eyes. _Very clever, captain, _he thought angrily. He stood up and gripped Decessus by his collar.

["You hesitated with the first shot; allowing them to raise their shields. I WANTED PRISONERS!"], Maricus shouted, only inches away from his gunner's face.

Decessus kept a stoic expression. ["It will not happen again. There was no way we could have known they would lower their shields. It was not a tactic we have seen from the Federation."]

Maricus clenched his hand into a fist and drove it into Decessus' face, throwing him onto the deck.

"For the rest of your life, you will carry your failure to allow that ship to be destroyed, Stepson Decessus…return to post." The former sub-lieutenant did as he was ordered, sauntering to his station and carrying the indignity of demotion. "Commander?" said T'omake. "Yes, what is it, sub-commander?" asked Maricus.

"If it is prisoners we need, now that the Federation's ship's databanks were destroyed, there are life signs on the surface. I can't get a good lock them, there is some strange interference coming from the planet. Hopefully it is a team of scientists."

"Very good. Form a landing party, I will go with them. Have Dartha begin scanning the planet and lo..."

"Commander, I do not think you going down there..."

"I will go!" Maricus leaned very close to T'omake. "And Decessus goes too. He will walk point, and take the first hit. He is of no further use now."

"As you wish Commander." replied T'omake as Maricus exited the bridge.

**Genesis**

Back on the snow-covered portion of Genesis, David listened as Saavik struggled to reestablish a communication with the _Grissom _whilst keeping an eye on Spock.

"_Grissom, _this is Saavik on emergency frequency. Come in, please," she said.

When all that answered was silence, Saavik lowered the communicator. Clearly, something happened to the _Grissom._

_Obviously, _David thought, _this isn't a simple communications error…_

"Saavik, what happened to them?" he asked, shielding his eyes from the snow.

"It would seem that _Grissom _was destroyed by an enemy attack…" she said without a trace of expression.

"We must go," she continued, helping Spock up. "They will soon come after us."

_Who are 'they'? _David wondered as Saavik, with Spock beside her, lead the way through the flurry.


	18. Revelations And Memories

**Chapter 15: Revelations and Memories**

_**Enterprise**_

The _Enterprise _shot through the stars, continuing her course to Genesis.

As Admiral Kirk paced the bridge, he asked Sulu how close they were to the destination.

"Estimating Genesis, two-point-nine hours, present speed," the helm officer answered.

_Very good, _he thought.

"Can we hold speed, Scotty?"

"Aye, she's got'er second wind now."

Kirk nodded at Scott. "Scan for vessels in pursuit." The last thing Kirk needed now was the Tholians interrupting their mission…

McCoy, with incredible stoicism, answered him, "Scanning, indication negative at this time."

Everyone stared at the doctor with fascination. _Spock, your Katra's starting to take full effect, _Kirk thought.

McCoy shrugged, "Well…did I get it right?"

Kirk could not resist a wry smile. "Great, Bones…just great."

**Genesis**

Maricus trudged through the forest portion of Genesis, one of his best soldiers, T'Linz following shortly behind, and the un-dignified gunner Stepson rank Decessus, armed and prepared for any resistance they may encounter.

Maricus raised his tricorder. The device beeped multiple times as he waved it around.

_Zeulas is not lost yet, _Maricus thought with a smile. _These scientists should carry all of the specifics we need for Genesis…_

Back in the tundra portion of the planet, Saavik, David and Spock paused briefly. A loud thunderclap distracted her. _We must be nearing another part of the planet._

Finally, she decided it was best to set down for a moment. David, after assisting Spock, helped him sit down. The mute Vulcan lowered himself with strong dignity.

Saavik took a deep breath. She supposed now was as good a time as any to get the specifics of this project from David…

"It is time for total truth between us," she said calmly. But she knew David would get the hint.

"This planet is not what you intended or hoped for, is it?"

David frowned, "Not exactly."

"Why?"

David cleared his throat and let out a sigh, obviously ready to speak of something he hid.

"I used protomatter in the Genesis matrix…" he said with blatant guilt.

A moment of silence incurred.

"Protomatter…" Saavik repeated, her mouth hanging open. "An unstable substance which every ethical scientist in the galaxy has denounced as…dangerously unpredictable."

David's voice was tinged with sadness. "But it was the only way to solve certain problems. It would have allowed me to create a temporary planet."

"You knew the planet would die?"

"Yes, I did. But you have to understand, the Genesis project was becoming close to being shut down, I had to buy us some more time."

"Did your mother know about this?"

"No, just me and Jedda knew."

Jedda was the scientist that had escaped Regula One with Carol and David Marcus, but he was killed by Captain Terrell, who was under the influence of Khan.

"So the only other person who knew died; leaving you the only one who knew the truth." said Saavik calmly.

"Yes, and would have worked. But Khan changed the whole situation. This planet shouldn't be here; this is supposed to be a nebula."

"Yes."

"When I saw that the planet seemed normal, I figured it was good fortune but my luck has run out."

"So, like your father, you changed the rules."

David shook his head, "If I _hadn't, _it might've been years, or never!"

"How many have paid the price for your impatience? How many have died?"

David backed up for the briefest moment.

"How much damage have you done? And what is yet to come?"

Another long moment of silence told her that David did not know the answer to that.

Maricus and his landing party approached the Spock's coffin. "It appears to a Federation torpedo case." remarked T'Linz, looking around cautiously. "Yes, from the files we stole, it would seem this was Captain Spock's grave. But where is his body?" replied Maricus.

"That is strange. Why would they take away?" asked T'Linz.

"Perhaps to give him a proper burial?" suggested Decessus.

"Perhaps." replied Maricus. He pulled out his communicator, "Bridge, nothing is here at site of metal object we scanned." he reported and motioned for his men to follow him. They began to move forward, but turned around when they noticed the sunlight was disappearing. They saw sun disappear behind the hills. Maricus then turned around again to continue to the search. They walked onwards for a few paces when Maricus noticed a small, blue flower grow on the ground. He knelt down beside it. It reminded him of the blue Ryn flower that Titiana had worn on their wedding day. She always had some in the house as they were a fairly common flower on Zeulas…

_Zeulas…Zeulas…Titiana lay on the bed dying…glass…glass…_

_I couldn't touch her…._

_**2284**_

**Zeulas**

Maricus walked through the corridor of the quarantine section of the medical lab. The door in front of him opened and he stepped through. The layer of mist fell over his suit as part of decontamination in the building. Another door opened and closed after he exited the decontamination. He saw a green light flash above the door he just stepped through. He removed his chemical suit and walked over to one of the Romulan doctors. "I'm Commander Maricus, how is my wife."

"Titiana is her name correct?"

"Yes."

"She is in room two; it's been three months since the virus was released. She's stayed alive for longer than many of the others."

"I did not ask you that. I asked how she is."

"She's dying."

"How soon?"

"Anytime now. Her vital organs are beginning to break down."

"Take me to her."

The doctor led Maricus to room two, it felt like the longest walk Maricus had ever had to make. He almost didn't want to see her. He had been on the other side of the Empire when first news of the attack had reached him. And it had already been a month before he heard it. _They wouldn't even let me back to see her until my orders were complete, _he thought to himself. He entered the room and saw his wife lying on a bed. The room was split in half, with a sheet of glass in the middle of the room from top to bottom. He stepped up to the glass turned on the two way speakers. "Titiana!?" He yelled, he suddenly noticed he had a tear running down his face. Titiana turned to face him. He saw her face; it looked as if some kind of small bug had eaten away at her very slowly. He knew the Sansu virus was very deadly as it was slow and very painful way to die. It was extremely rare virus; the scientist who had created it had committed suicide and had destroyed his documents. Only enough of the virus remained to attack one planet, so it would never be used again after Zeulas. How the terrorists had gotten ahold of it he did not know but he was determined to find out. She smiled at him and said, "Maricus." She lifted herself out of bed and started walking towards the glass. Maricus could see the lower half of her legs now as her gown only went down to her knees. They looked very thin, and had the same marks as her face and arms did. She stumbled as she walked over and he could tell she was in extreme pain. "Doctor, can you give her something for the pain?" he asked. "I've already given her the maximum I can, I'm very sorry but there is absolutely nothing else we can do for her." replied the doctor. She walked with as much dignity as the wife of a glorified commander could have until she reached the glass. She slid down to her knees and then into a sitting position as she could hardly stand anymore. Maricus knelt down beside her and reached his hand out for her. Instead of feeling her hair, which was beginning to completely fall out, he felt the ice coldness of the glass. He silently cursed the glass, in their final moments together, he couldn't touch her. The last time they had touched was at the docking port on Romulas almost a full year before. "Livia?" asked Maricus. "I buried her forty six days ago. The children died very quickly." Maricus had been holding back tears so that the two guards and the doctor who were in the room would not see weakness in a commander of his prestige. But he could no longer hold them back. His little girl was dead, and he could nothing to bring her back. "I didn't even get to see her again." He said with tears running down his face.  
"She died calling for you. Every night she would want to see you, she kept asking where you were. I told her you loved her. That was the last thing I told her before she died."

"Why couldn't I have been here?!"

"To do what my husband? Die here with me? What would that accomplish?"

_Practical, always practical. _"I should have prevented it!"

"You couldn't have known."

"I…"

"Maricus, don't go down that road, revenge, unforgiveness. That will only destroy you. I don't want that to happen to you."

Maricus said nothing as he looked into her eyes. Her eyes were the only thing unaffected it seemed by the virus.

"Livia and I, and all of Zeulas, will live on, in your memories."

"Titiana, I…"

"Dartha is a good woman; she cares for you, when you feel the time is right…"

"I never did…."

"You were faithful to me, I know. She never tried to take you away from me. You both stayed honorable. That's why I give you my…." she spasmed in pain. "Maricus…" she said as she sank down to the floor. "DOCTOR!" yelled Maricus. The doctor ran over and scanned her with his medical tricorder. "She's dead." the doctor told him.

_Dead…just like Livia…just like Zeulas…just like everything I ever cared about..._


	19. Flight To Genesis

**Chapter 16: Flight to Genesis**

_**2285**_

**Genesis**

Saavik walked over to where David stood at the edge of a precipice. Spock was sleeping over near the campfire David had made. "This planet is dying isn't it?" asked Saavik. They felt another tremor. "Yes, the protomatter is breaking down the whole planet." David replied.

"How long?"

"Days…maybe hours." He looked into her eyes, "I'm sorry."

"David, I wanted to apologize for what I said earlier. You had the best of intentions."

"No, you were right; I let my ego cloud my judgment. Now many people will suffer because of my actions."

"It is of no use to say all this."

"This project has been trouble from the start. You know, I think it's Tholians that destroyed the _Grissom_."

"Tholians?"

"Yes, we are near their border."

"True, but why would they?"

"It involves the origins of the project and it's a long story."

"I remember you saying, 'We appear to have plenty of time' when your father said that."

David gave a small laugh, he remembered that. "True. But there is something else I wanted to say."

"What is it?"

"Um, I don't know quite how you'll react to this but, I have…fallen in love with you."

Saavik didn't know how to respond, she just stood there looking at him.

"I know it's crazy, and I shouldn't…"

"No, David, it's alright." She suddenly grabbed him and gave him a deep passionate kiss. Her half-Romulan passion surged through her and took charge over her half-Vulcan logic. _You're Vulcan, this is illogical…no I'm Romulan…and this is what I want! _The longer they held the kiss the longer she felt her emotions take charge.

They didn't speak when their lips parted finally. They just stood there looking at each other. They didn't have to say anything, no "I love you." or anything of the sort. They understood each other now. Saavik stood there breathing heavily, looking at David with heated passion. David looked at her and thought she looked more Romulan than Vulcan now_. _Then David grabbed her and gave her a kiss. The kiss seemed to last for ages; Saavik began removing her coat when suddenly they were interrupted when Saavik's tricorder began to chime momentarily. They broke the kiss and she surveyed the forest below the precipice. Then the device bleeped sporadically, indicating multiple lifeforms.

Indeed, that is what she noticed: A clearly large group trudging through the shrubbery.

_They cannot be Starfleet, _Saavik thought grimly. _The only ship authorized was _Grissom…

"Whoever they are, they're getting closer," David noticed.

"I'll go," Saavik volunteered.

"No," David stopped her. After the moment they had just shared, he was clearly unwilling to allow Saavik to risk her life.

"I'll do it," he added even as the tricorder went on. "Give me your phaser."

Saavik stared at him for a moment before removing the deadly device from her pocket and handing it to David.

"Be careful," she warned.

David nodded and walked down the precipice to scout the approaching group.

_I'm losing emotional control. _Saavik thought to herself. She was extremely concerned now; her Romulan half craved for the love David could give her. _Passion; pure Romulan passion…it is not logical. Good, I am beginning to regain control. _But suddenly she noticed her heart was still pounding and her breathing had not slowed down.

…_or am I?_

_**Enterprise**_

Closing in on Genesis, the _Enterprise _tore through the stars at full warp.

Leonard McCoy kept quiet at the science station of the ship.

_Remember…_

_Oh, for crying out loud, Spock, can't you shut up for five seconds?!_

Chekov's accented voice interrupted his thoughts, "Sir, Starfleet calling _U.S.S. Grissom._ A varning about us."

McCoy and the rest of the bridge stared at the officer for a moment.

"Any response?" Kirk asked him.

"Nothing, as before."

_Knowing Captain Esteban, he will probably attempt to arrest us, if he already received a message, _thought McCoy.

"Will she join us, or will she fire on us?" Kirk pondered as he paced the bridge. "Chekov, break silence. Send Captain Esteban my compliments."

"Aye, sir." Chekov complied.

As McCoy turned to admire the starry visage of the viewscreen, Kirk approached him and spoke in low tones.

"How're we doing?" he asked McCoy.

"How are_ we _doing?" McCoy asked curiously. "Funny you should put it quite that way, Jim. _We_ are doing fine…but I'd feel safer giving him one of my kidneys, than what's scrambled in my brain."

_Anything to get your damn Katra_ _out of my system…_

"Admiral, there is no response from _Grissom _on any channel," Chekov called out.

"Keep trying, Chekov; at regular intervals."

_**U.S.S. **_**Saratoga/Earth Orbit**

Commander Uhura materialized in the transporter room of the _Saratoga_; she had sent a subspace message to captain with a request to be delivered to Vulcan. She was escorted to the captain's quarters by an Efrosian officer. She entered the room to see an Andorian sitting at his desk. "Captain Thelin?" He looked up at her, "You must be Commander Uhura. It is a pleasure to meet you. Please sit…" She sat down and looked straight at him, "Starfleet doesn't know I'm here."

"Yes, that's what I'm worried about. This is completely against regulations."

"I must get to Vulcan, and its right near your flight path."

"That's true, but it doesn't make it right. This is my last mission as captain of this vessel. My executive officer, recently promoted, Captain Margaret Sinclair-Alexander, is taking my place. What kind of an example will I be setting if I help you?"

"You'll be showing her that there is more to being captain than blindly following orders."

She saw the Andorian's antennae twitch slightly. "That's not an excuse."

"Let me tell you why." And she proceeded to tell him the whole story about Spock.

"I found that story hard to swallow, but I'm no expert in Vulcans." Thelin told her.

"Will you help me then?" asked Uhura.

"If I was in Captain Spock's place, I would want my friends to do whatever it took to save me. He's very fortunate to have friends like you and Admiral Kirk." Thelin said and then smiled. She returned the smile and replied, "Thank you, Captain Thelin."


	20. Capture

**Chapter 17: Capture**

**Genesis**

_Lieutenant Saavik was dreaming…_

_Instead of waking up on Genesis, she was back in the bridge of the _Enterprise, _only Admiral Kirk was nowhere to be seen, nor was Sulu, Chekov, Mister Scott, or McCoy…_

_Only Spock and several officers from the academy were present._

_She looked at her rank insignia; it was that of a commander._

"_Saavik, you are hereby promoted to commander. From now on, you shall serve as my executive officer on the U.S.S. Enterprise."_

_Spock…Spock…_

"SPOCK!" she yelled as shudder jolted her from the dream. She opened her eyes immediately and noticed the entire planet shaking around her. A large tree ripped from the ground and collapsed next to her and Spock. A steam vent opened up. Tremors were happening more frequently and lightning was beginning to strike the planet surface. The mindless Spock was beginning to panic as he hardly understood the planet around him. "I must calm him." Saavik said in a whisper. She walked over to him and grabbed both his hands. He looked in her eyes, she looked back, and he seemed so blank, so empty. She put her hand to his head, attempting a Vulcan mind meld. She spoke again, this time in their native tongue, ["Your mind to my mind. Your thoughts…to my thoughts."] She felt nothing in the mind meld. There was no Spock in his mind. She was not a master of the art of the mind meld so she assumed she might be failing in her attempt. _Where is your Katra? _She thought. ["My name is Saavik."], she said as Spock continued to stare at her. She broke the mind meld and began to turn, but Spock's continued to hold her hand. He refused to let go as he opened his mouth. "Saaaa…Saaavviiikk." he said. She looked at him in astonishment, perhaps a trace of him existed still. "Saavik.", he said again.

_**Karzan**_

Dartha sat looking at the display on her desk. _These readings are disturbing me, how do I tell the commander that I believe the planet is dying when he believes it can save our home planet. _Dartha wanted the plan to succeed almost as most as Maricus, because then hopefully they would make a home together. She knew he would eventually ask her to be his consort, and she would willingly agree to it. In fact she longed for it more than anything else. While she had been honorable in her actions towards Maricus because of her childhood friendship to Titiana, her thoughts had not always been so honorable and pure.

_Titiana is dead, I'm saddened by it too, but she would want us to move on…_

_No, focus on the task at hand Dartha! _She thought as she looked at her console again. She had run several calculations with the _Mutara_ Nebula playing a factor but nothing was conclusive. "I guess I'll be at this all night." she said, but she knew no one was around to hear it.

**Genesis**

_"Commander Saavik," the voice of Captain Spock said._

"_You have the conn."_

_Saavik situated herself into the command chair. She'd sat in this chair before, but only during simulations._

_I must be dreaming, she thought._

_I should still be on Genesis…_

_Spock set a hand on her shoulder. But instead of his usual kind, gentle touch, it was a firm grip._

_Then he muttered something in Romulan…_

A loud voice jolted Saavik from her dream-filled doze. It was not David, or Spock.

It was a Romulan soldier.

_They must have destroyed _Grissom! She thought even as the soldier gripped the front of her uniform.

"Spock!" she called out.

The soldier hauled her up, another one grabbed Spock. Then they were dragged out of the shrubbery, past the long since burned-out fire.

Immediately, the soldiers casually shoved both her and Spock to the ground, with David already on his knees.

Saavik looked up to see another Romulan standing tall before her group. His hair was dark, though it also appeared to be streaked with gray. His face seemed kinder than the other members of his group.

"I've come a long way in search of Genesis," he said simply. "And what do I find? A weakling human, a…_mindless _Vulcan, and a woman!"

Saavik could see a scowl forming on David's face that said, _Weakling? Like hell I am!_

Maricus finished his sentence before T'Linz tapped his shoulder.

"Yes, what is it?" he asked.

T'Linz held up his tricorder, "Sir…you might want to have a look at this."

He stared at the device for a moment, then his eyes widened slightly.

"Romulan…" he whispered.

"It would appear the woman is half-Vulcan, and half-Romulan."

Maricus' mouth visibly hung open. He stared at the woman for a moment.

_She is beautiful, _he thought to himself. _And her hair…it reminds me so much of Livia's…_

"Commander…" said the Vulcan/Romulan woman, "We are survivors of a doomed expedition. This planet will destroy itself in hours. The Genesis experiment is failure." "I'll be the judge of that. You may be right about this planet but this planet didn't exist until the Genesis device was used." replied Maricus. "May be so, but I have no further knowledge." the woman told him. "I sure you do my young Romulan." He said smiling. She looked shocked, like someone had just unmasked her. "What's he talking about?" asked the human. "It's true, I am half Romulan." the woman told the human. "We have much to discuss." Maricus said as he pulled out his communicator. ["Two to beam up. Energize."]

Saavik was still looking at David who was shocked to learn about her Romulan heritage, "Why didn't you tell me?" he asked. Before she could answer she felt the beginning of transport. "NO!" she thought she heard David yell, but soon everything disappeared altogether.

_**Karzan**_

A moment later, Saavik found herself standing in the transporter room of a Romulan vessel. The commander turned to face her, but instead of grabbing hold of her arm and dragging her to the vessel's brig, he calmly extended his hand out. "Follow me to my quarters." He ordered. Saavik hesitated; the Romulan commander frowned, and told her, "My intentions are strictly honorable." She decided it was best to comply with him, he seemed different from other Romulans, and his face to her seemed very fatherly, like she could trust him. She took his hand and followed him, slowly walking through the corridor of the cruiser. Her Romulan heritage, which she'd kept hidden for so long, was finally revealed to David.

She had kept it hidden for a reason, of course…

_Saavik was not born either Vulcan or Romulus, but rather in a prison camp on a planet near the Neutral Zone known as Hellguard._

As she followed the commander, she recalled a harsh childhood memory.

_The first thing she saw upon being born was the harsh glow of a metal branding rod._

_The first thing she felt was the white-hot burn on her back as the rod made contact…_

Saavik shuddered at the thought of the memory. _No…_she thought. _My emotions…_

Finally, the commander opened the doors to his cabin and, with a gesture of his hand, moved her in. Saavik entered and waited in silence, wondering why the commander brought her aboard his ship. He asked, "Do you know why I have brought you aboard?"

Saavik shook her head. "No. Why am I here?"

The Romulan ignored her question and said, "Computer, play _'I Lata Arham Urri, E'Lev', _from the production held on Zeulas, in 2260." Saavick heard the beginning of the Romulan opera play softly in the room. The commander spoke again, "My name is Maricus. I am a soldier in the Romulan Empire."

Saavik didn't hesitate, she introduced herself.

"Why do you suppress it?" Maricus asked her.

"Suppress what?" Saavik responded.

"Your Romulan heritage."

She swallowed once before giving the answer.

"Bringing it up to anyone, even you, results in painful memories of childhood; of the prison camp on…"

"Hellguard." They both said in unison. She looked at him stunned that he knew the name.

"Yes, my child, I am aware of it. But not is not my reason for wanting to bring you here, I wanted to explain to you why I have coming seeking Genesis."

"It is obvious; to create a weapon for the Romulan Empire."

Maricus laughed. "Of course you would think that. Maybe there are some in my government who do wish to use it that way. I'm sure the Tholians and Klingons do as well. If I was a Klingon commander I know would have come here seeking it as a weapon. But it is not so." When he finished speaking he remained silent, staring at one of the many pictures sitting on his desk. Saavik could see the picture from where she was sitting; it was a picture of a Romulan woman and a small Romulan girl, around the age of five. "Your family?" asked Saavik. He looked at her and stared into her eyes. She could tell he was on the verge of tears.

"Yes, they were. Titiana, my wife, and my only child Livia. Looking at you I feel Livia might have grown up to look like you. You have her eyes, and from what I can see, my wife's strength. In fact if you listen now to music, you hear my wife singing. She played the role of Sienae, Aev's lover in the opera during the performance on Zeulas in 2260. It was actually that night after the production was over that we first met. Though in the end, she gave up her career to be with me."

"What is your purpose of being here?"

"My home planet, Zeulas, was attacked by terrorists who used a virus on the planet. The planet is now a dead rock in space. My wife and child were on the planet, and now I wish to restore the planet."

"A noble effort but that will not bring them back."

"Maybe, excuse me a moment." He pressed a button on his desk. "Dartha, have you analyzed T'Linz's scan of the muted Vulcan?" _"Yes, it is strange; because it is Federation Captain Spock."_

"Thank you that will be all." said Maricus. He turned towards Saavik, "Maybe Genesis can do more for me than I thought; you think I didn't notice who the mute Vulcan was? Is it true that Spock's life has been restored because of Genesis?"

"Yes, it's true, but Genesis is dying."

"Maybe, but it was never supposed to have been here. This was a nebula before it was planet."

"Even still Genesis will not work."

Maricus stared at her again, "It will work."

_**U.S.S. Saratoga**_

The starship _Saratoga _came out of warp and flew within beaming distance of the planet Vulcan. Uhura looked at the planet and thought: _It hasn't changed at all since I was last here…_

Captain Thelin's voice interrupted her thoughts. _"Commander Uhura, we've arrived at Vulcan, report to the transporter room._

Uhura exited her temporary quarters on the _Miranda-_class frigate and made her way to the transporter room. Standing there with Thelin was Captain Sinclair-Alexander.

"Thank you, Thelin. I owe you."

Thelin shook his head. "No, you don't. Remember what I said to you earlier: If I were in Spock's position, I would want my crew to do the same for me. Admiral Kirk seems like a great officer; perhaps in another reality, I could have served under his command." He said with a smile.

Uhura nodded and stepped on the transporter pad.

Before giving the order to energize, she said to Alexander, "I think you will make a fine starship captain. I wish you luck."

Sinclair-Alexander smiled proudly. "And I'll command a fine starship."

"Energize." Uhura said.

The transporter beamed her down to Vulcan.


	21. Romulan Cat And Mouse

**Chapter 18: Romulan Cat and Mouse**

_**Enterprise**_

The _Enterprise_ exited out from warp speed and began approaching the Genesis planet.

"We are secured from warp speed; now entering Genesis sector." Sulu said as Kirk entered the bridge. "Proceed at impulse power." Kirk ordered. _We're coming Spock._

_**Karzan**_

On the bridge, T'omake spoke with the navigator who had just noticed a ship enter the system. "Vessel entering sector." the navigator reported. "Yes." said T'omake as he looked at the display screen; he recognized the configuration as a Federation command cruiser. "Federation Battle Cruiser…have they scanned us?" he asked. "Not yet." the navigator replied. "Engage cloaking device!" he ordered. The bridge turned a crimson red.

The _Karzan _shimmered out of existence; a blade enshrouded in its cloak, cutting through the fabric of space.

_**Enterprise**_

As the Enterprise approached closer to the planet, Chekov felt uneasy, especially after what he had just seen on his display panel. "I would svear there vas something there, sir." he told Kirk.

"What did you see?"

"For an instant; an unknown wessel."

Kirk turned around and headed back his captain's chair. "Could be _Grissom_." he said. "Could be Tholians or Klingons or worse…" said McCoy.

"Don't be a doomsayer Bones. Patch in a hailing frequency." Kirk ordered. As soon as the hailing frequency was ready he decided it was time to see where the Grissom would stand. _Can I fire on another Federation vessel? _"_Grissom_, this is _Enterprise_ calling, please come in…"

All Kirk heard was silence.

_**Karzan**_

"Why embrace only your Vulcan half? Is it logical to deny what you are? Are we so evil you can't accept who you are? I wish to understand your reasoning. Join us, I can offer you protection." Maricus told Saavik. "Commander, I cannot betray the Federation." she told him.

"Understandable, but you do realize I will get what I want…what I need…one way or another."

As he said it, his face looked harsher than she had seen it before. It brought back memories of Hellguard. Before he could continue speaking his communicator chimed. He answered it, "I ordered no interruptions." He heard T'omake voice on the other end, _"But sir, Federation starship approaching." _"Understood; beam the Vulcan woman back down to the surface. I'm on my way." he ordered. He looked at Saavik as she was transported away. He looked one last time at the picture of his family and then left the room.

_**Genesis**_

Saavik suddenly found herself back on the planet next to David. "Are you okay?" he asked. "I'm fine." she reassured him. "Quiet!" yelled T'Linz. Saavik turned and looked at him. He was pointing his disruptor at her and looked as though he was fighting every fiber of his being not to shoot her. "You betray your true race, you half breed. I hope pain is something you enjoy!" he told her. She remained silent and looked at David and Spock. "Saavik…" Spock said as he looked at her. "He keeps saying your name." David told her. Before she could reply she heard a voice coming from the communicator in T'Linz's hand, "Grissom_, this is _Enterprise_ calling, please come in." _It was the voice of James T. Kirk. Saavik and David exchanged glances. _Kirk's here, he will save us, unless Maricus blows him out of the stars. _Saavik thought quietly to herself.

_**Karzan**_

Maricus entered the bridge of the _Karzan, _haloed in red from the alert lights.

["Battle alert!"], he ordered the crew in the bridge. He folded up his jacket and threw it on his command chair.

The voice of the Federation ship's captain echoed throughout the bridge.

"_This is _Enterprise, _Admiral Kirk calling._ _Lieutenant Saavik, please come in."_

Maricus sat back in his chair.

"Report status!" he ordered.

"We are cloaked." T'omake assured him.

_Perfect, _Maricus thought.

"Enemy closing on impulse power range. Five-thousand kilometers."

"Good. Set tactical hex display to one thousand kilometers per hex."

The display screen now showed the region of space the two ships occupied like a hex map, as per his orders the Enterprise was now only five hexes away. He watched as the vessel, a giant compared to the _Karzan, _sped in the direction of Genesis.

_It may be huge, but you are in command of the finest ship in the Empire._

"It's just the turn of luck I have been waiting for!" he said with no trace of arrogance, only of pride and confidence.

The ghostly blade continued to shred through the fabric towards its target.

_**Enterprise**_

The _Enterprise _maintained her course towards Genesis, all the while, Kirk kept an eye out for any pursuing vessels.

_Is it the _Grissom…_or someone worse?_

"Nothing on my scanner, sir," Chekov reported.

"Short range scan, Mister Chekov," Kirk ordered. _There must be someone out here…_

He walked up beside Sulu at the helm.

"Put on visual, Mister Sulu."

The helmsman complied.

The viewscreen changed to reveal a closer look at Genesis…and a peculiar distortion.

Kirk's eyes widened. Obviously, it was not the _Grissom _Chekov had spotted.

The distortion moved at half-impulse against the stars.

_**Karzan**_

The massive Federation vessel was moving closer to the _Karzan._

_An impressive ship, _Maricus mused to himself. _It is a pity we may have to remove you from the picture…_

"Range, three-thousand kilometers," the navigator reported.

"Steady." He was confident he could outsmart the crew.

"Continue on impulse power."

"Range, two-thousand kilometers."

Maricus nodded, looking at the screen, the two ships now in two hexes right next to each other.

"Stand by to transfer energy to weapons…at my command!"

_**Enterprise**_

__The ship slowed down briefly, and Kirk kept his eyes on the distortion on the screen.

"There!" he gestured to the viewscreen. "That distortion; see it?" he asked. It was approaching the _Enterprise._

"Yes sir," Sulu replied. "It's getting larger as we close in."

_**Karzan**_

__"Firing range, sir." The navigator noted.

In the corner of his eye, Maricus could see T'omake grinning. Maricus returned it.

_The Federation will not get in our way, citizens of Zeulas!_

["Gunner."] He addressed the replacement at the weapons station. ["Target engine only, understood?"]

The gunner nodded and confirmed he understood clearly.

Maricus gripped the sides of his chair as he stared at the ship, and prepared for battle. The Romulan War Eagle was a ship designed from quick hit and run with plasma torpedoes, but it did still have light disruptor defenses as well, but it mainly relied on its torpedoes and cloaking device. As the ship neared its target, Dartha entered the bridge.

"I am confident we can destroy the enemy vessel. This is one of the most powerful ships in the Empire."

Maricus smiled and nodded in agreement.

_**Enterprise**_

__The distortion shimmered yet again in the viewscreen.

"Opinion, Mister Sulu?" Kirk asked.

"I think it's an energy surge."

"Enough energy to hide a ship?"

Sulu nodded. "A cloaking device…"

_It would appear so, _Kirk thought.

Immediately he moved to the middle of the bridge.

"Red alert, Mister Scott!" he ordered.

"Aye, sir."

A crimson wave of light bathed the bridge. Kirk continued to watch the shimmer.

"All power to the weapons systems!"

"Aye, sir!"

Scott immediately began preparing torpedoes and phasers.

_**Karzan**_

__"One-thousand kilometers, closing." The navigator called out.

"Wait," Maricus began. "Wait!"

Obviously, the enemy ship was heavily armed. It would do no good to move in for an attack until the shields were up completely.

_**Enterprise**_

Kirk paced the bridge, noticing, from Scott's report, that the enemy ship appeared unshielded.

"No shields?" he asked, then added, "If my guess is right, they'll have to decloak before they can fire."

Kirk sat himself into the command chair.

McCoy leaned down to mutter, "May all of your guesses be right…"

_**Karzan**_

The _Karzan _was now in firing range of the ship. Maricus hoped this would be a quick battle.

["And…_now! DROP CLOAK!"] _He ordered.

Once again, the crimson light filled the bridge as the blade shed its cloak.

The _Karzan _unveiled itself in front of the _Enterprise, _prepared for battle.

_**Enterprise**_

The shimmering stopped, replaced by a design Kirk recognized immediately.

_Romulans…_

Sulu turned to face Kirk. "Romulan War Eagle, sir; she's arming torpedoes."

There was only once chance to inflict damage now, before they could raise their shields.

"Fire, Mister Scott!"

Scott complied. A pair of Photon Torpedoes streaked from the firing section and slammed into the _Karzan. _Immediately, the ship began to drift.

_**Karzan**_

__The _Karzan _lurched from the torpedo fire. Maricus gripped the sides of his chair as a console exploded. The navigator managed to back away just as his burst.

Dartha tripped and fell. Maricus quickly gripped her arm.

_**Enterprise**_

__Kirk took a moment to stare at the seemingly crippled enemy ship.

"Good shooting, Mister Scott," he said, forcing a smile while remaining wary.

_A Romulan ship can't go down that easily, _he knew.

"Precautionary, Mister Chekov. Shields up!"

"Aye, sir!" The Russian acknowledged.

_**Karzan**_

__As fires sprung from the damaged consoles, Maricus shouted for his crew to return to their stations. _We are NOT finished yet!_

He pulled Dartha up by her hand. "Take a seat," he ordered kindly, despite being under pressure.

He stood up, furious at the notion that this Federation ship attacked his ship so easily. But he did notice as he looked at it on the viewscreen, the ship appeared already damaged.

"T'omake, scan that vessel for extent of their damage, now!" he ordered. Then added,

"EMERGENCY POWER TO THE THRUSTERS!" he shouted to the helmsman.

The _Karzan _righted itself to face the _Enterprise_.

_**Enterprise**_

__Chekov turned around in his chair.

"Sir, shields are non-responsive!" He said nervously.

He watched Kirk stand up from his chair.  
"Scotty…?"

"The Dilithium supply is low, A'miral! I've barely got any power left in the reactor!"

"Switch to battery power." Kirk ordered. Battery power wouldn't get them real far, as it was only an emergency backup.

Chekov thought he heard Admiral Kirk grunt. Then, he seemingly thought up a plan.

"Mister Sulu, we need to prepare our shields. Prepare to utilize your best piloting skills yet."

"A-aye, sir," Sulu faltered, "What do you mean by _best?"_

Kirk told him the exact tactic.

_**Karzan**_

Maricus watched as the Federation vessel began to speed up towards the _Karzan._

He nearly gave the order to fire, when he noticed how close the _Enterprise_ was getting.

"Evasive maneuvers!" he called out.

The _Enterprise _sped towards the _Karzan _at full impulse, clearly on a ramming course.

"What are they…" Maricus began, but immediately he saw their tactic.

At the last possible second, the _Enterprise _dived down swiftly, her saucer narrowly missing the _Karzan _by mere inches.

_**Enterprise**_

__Sulu gripped the helm console, his hands sweating from the maneuver he had just pulled.

But managed to use his best piloting skills to trick the Romulan crew into thinking they would be rammed.

"Excelling piloting, Mister Sulu," Kirk said.

"Vere did you learn to fly like that?!" Chekov called out.

Sulu shrugged, "I had always wanted to try that with a ship of this class."

Sulu felt a nudge on his shoulder from Scott. "Let's celebrate some other time, laddie; the Romulan ship is tailing us!"

He looked at the viewscreen. The agile ship came about, speeding towards the _Enterprise._

"Mister Scott, rear phasers. Fire!"

Orange phaser fire lanced from the rear of the _Enterprise, _bombarding the _Karzan_'s shields. "We need more power sir!" yelled Sulu. "Where would you like us to find some Sulu? I doubt the Genesis planet is rich in dilithum." McCoy replied.

Sulu turned to stare at Kirk for a moment, while at the same time keeping an eye on the Romulan ship.

_**Karzan**_

"Sir, they still haven't raised their shields!" the gunner called out.

Maricus stood up. "Perhaps they don't have the ability to do so! Fire on their engines, now!"

The _Karzan _fired a disruptor barrage at the main engineering section.

_Why can't the Federation stay out of our way, _he thought angrily.

_**Enterprise**_

The _Enterprise _shuddered from the disruptors aimed at the engineering section.

Immediately, Kirk thought up a plan.

_Maybe, just maybe…Regula One still has its supply of dilithium!_

"Mister Sulu, take the ship to Regula One. Best speed!"

"Aye, sir!" Sulu replied.

The _Enterprise _increased speed to its destination.

"Now, wait just a damn minute!" McCoy piped up. "Why are we going to that station again?!"

Kirk looked at him and said, "If we're lucky, there's still dilithium aboard the station. We can repair our shields and prepare for battle that way!"

McCoy let out a grunt. "Ah, what the hell. It's better than nothin'."

"Mister Scott," Kirk called out. "Distract them with another phaser blast."

As the _Enterprise _flew for the station, she unleashed another phaser blast at the _Karzan._

_**Karzan**_

Maricus watched curiously as the _Enterprise, _after firing its phasers, sped away from the _Karzan _at full impulse.

_We've barely damaged them! _He noted.

"Sir," T'omake began, "It would seem they are backing down."

One of Maricus' eyebrows shot up.

"Perhaps they feel we have overpowered them. Why would they back down if we didn't?"

"Sir," T'omake began. "You may be right; I scanned the ship, if you recall the Genesis tapes, this is the same starship that took on the human terrorist Khan Noonien Singh in the Mutara Nebula; sustaining heavy damage in the process."

_Yes, of course! It's the _Enterprise!

"The _Enterprise,_" Maricus said aloud. _James T. Kirk…_

_The same starship captain that destroyed the _Gal'Gathong, _who killed my mentor and his crew._

_The man who trespassed in Romulan territory to steal one of our cloaking devices!_

He remembered all too well, reading about the famed "_Enterprise _Incident." _But at least it proved Commander Charvenack's incompetence as a captain._

_It was a pity I could not best you, Kirk. But alas, you appear to be a coward now, with a damaged vessel…but why are you here in a badly damaged vessel? Surely I would expect to see your Romulan watchdog ship, the Lexington, here instead. _The Romulans had spotted the U.S.S. _Lexington_ many times patrolling the neutral zone.

T'omake went on. "Khan severely damaged their engineering section in particular."

"Shall we pursue, sir?" the helmsman asked.

Maricus shook his head. "Let them leave. Obviously, we posed more of a threat than we thought."

The _Karzan _swung about and sped in the direction of Genesis.


	22. Restoration

**Chapter 19: Restoration**

**Regula One**

The _Enterprise _was now docked to the station. All except Montgomery Scott walked into the storage sector. He was manning the transporter console aboard the ship. As Admiral Kirk paced the room, he thought again of Carol, and of the conversation they had earlier.

He hoped David was all right.

_David…_

He pushed any feelings of worry aside for now. _We _will _rescue you, David. We WILL!_

"All right, here's where the dilithium was stored. Mister Sulu, Mister Chekov, if you will."

"Aye, sir," Sulu replied. The two began scanning.

While Sulu and Chekov searched for any traces of dilithium, Kirk sat down and began pondering.

_Romulans…Why did it have to be Romulans?_

"Something on your mind, Jim?" McCoy asked curiously.

Kirk allowed himself to grin. "Is that a pun, Doctor?"

McCoy chuckled, though Kirk knew he was disguising his annoyance over Spock's _Katra._

Kirk went on, "I was just thinking…why the Romulans, of all species, want the Genesis device? If it were the Tholians, I could understand, or even the Klingons. But this…?"

"Perhaps they're trying to get even with you for stealing their cloaking device?"

"As funny as that is, Bones, I'd like a _real _answer for this…there was only one ship out there; why not a fleet of Romulan ships? What need do they have for Genesis? What would he or she gain out of it? And did she destroy the _Grissom_?"

"If the Empire vants the veapon this badly," Chekov threw in, "Ve could be in serious trouble."

"Tell me about it, everyone now is referring to it as a weapon," Kirk responded. "Admiral Morrow was right…" The comment triggered a series of curious looks from his group.

He continued, "Genesis is starting to make a lot of noise in this sector…I wouldn't be surprised it does attract anyone from the Gamma Quadrant…or the Delta Quadrant…we even another galaxy for that matter!" he waved that off after he realized he was rambling into the realm of the impossible, "How we doing, Sulu?"

Sulu waved his scanner, "Admiral, it would appear enough to replenish our shields slightly."

"What do you mean by _slightly_?" McCoy called out.

Kirk intervened, "What percent do you think our shields would be?"

Sulu cleared his throat. "Approximately sixty-percent; give or take."

McCoy released an audible groan. "Dammit, that's not enough with that Romulan ship still flyin' around out there!"

"It'll have to suffice." Kirk said sternly, opening his communicator, "Scotty, we are sending you our supply of dilithium. Lock on to the coordinates, and have it sent to the engine room."

"_Aye, sir. Uh…how much do we…"___

"We have enough to raise our shields by sixty percent. It's better than nothing."

"_Sixty percent?! You canna' be serious, A'miral! The ol' girl could ne'er…!"_

"Scotty, this _old girl _saved earth numerous times in the past from worse enemies than this, I think she can withstand the pounding…"

There was a moment of silence, and then, _"…aye, sir. Awaiting the coordinates."_

"Sulu, place the transponder on that dilithium and it'll be beamed to the ship. Then we will fly to Genesis."

_And hopefully, rescue Spock, Saavik and David at once…_

The shrill noise of the transporter beam filled the room as the dilithium canisters were beamed away. A moment later, Kirk said to Scott, "Thank you. Now, lock on to our coordinates. Beam us up, Scotty."

And then Kirk, McCoy, Chekov and Sulu departed Regula One.

**Genesis**

Back on the surface of Genesis, David began trembling, anxiously awaiting for the crew of the _Enterprise _to beam down and knock off every last one of these soldiers. But so far, there had been no sign of them.

The Romulan soldier who called himself T'Linz walked up to the trio, grinning evilly.

"Well, it would seem your crew is more cowardly than we thought." He said with an arrogant sneer. "I have just received word from our ship that the Federation cruiser fled amidst a battle. You three appear to be all alone now!"

David was furious at the accusation of the crew being cowards. "Impossible. Just keep watching; they'll be back."

T'Linz responded with a snicker before walking off.

David did not want to believe the soldier. His father had led the crew of his ship through hell and back against worse enemies than _this_. He still recalled, with amazing clarity, when Admiral Kirk warped away from the Genesis torpedo at the last possible minute before it exploded.

_No, they aren't fleeing just yet, you Romulan bastards…besides, they still have to save Spock._

"Saavik…" Spock said again softly.


	23. Round Two

**Chapter 20: Round Two**

_**Karzan**_

The Romulan ship continued its orbit around Genesis. It had been almost an hour, and when there was no sign of the _Enterprise _or any other Federation starships, Maricus stood up from his seat.

"T'omake, take the bridge for a moment, I am going back down on the planet."

T'omake nodded as Maricus began walking to the lift.

Suddenly, a shrill noise from his console caused him to pause.__

"Sir," the navigator said, "there appears to be another starship coming in!"

_No…! _Maricus thought. "Put it on screen."

The viewscreen switched to reveal the sleek figure of a _Constitution-_class starship, the same one that had supposedly fled the battle.

"But they retreated, and their shields were down!"

The weapons officer said, "Not anymore, sir. It appears they have restored at least sixty percent of their shielding!"

"But how…?"

The Genesis planet did not have any dilithium on the surface, at least, not enough to replenish shields. Then he remembered…

_The station! That was it; they flew to that station that did all the research!_

"Helm, come about to face them. Divert some power to shields and weapons, now!

"We must not underestimate them again!"

The _Karzan _sped in the direction of the _Enterprise,_ releasing two plasma torpedoes in her direction. For good measure, the former vessel shot a full spread of disruptor fire that bounced against the shields.

_**Enterprise**_

Kirk grabbed hold of his seat as the _Enterprise _lurched under fire.

"Scotty, what's the status of our shields?"

"Shields down to fifty-five percent, sir!"

Kirk then asked, "How many photon torpedoes do we still have?"

"Ah…we only have five in storage, sir. The rest were removed after we docked."

_Whose idea was it to remove some of the weaponry?!_

"Never a dull moment on a starship." Kirk heard Bones say.

"We'll have to conserve our torpedoes for now; use them only when I say."

Kirk sat down in the chair, "Mister Sulu, evasive maneuvers! Scotty, target all phasers!"

Scotty hit the phaser target button.

The _Enterprise _released a full-on phaser barrage at the _Karzan, _along with one photon torpedo.

The _Karzan _fired its disruptors once before speeding over the saucer section of its pursuer. The _Enterprise _banked as it turned to pursue the _Karzan_.

"Well done, Scotty! We appear to be driving them off." Kirk marveled as the _Enterprise_'s phasers and single torpedo dented the Romulan cruiser's shields.

_**Karzan**_

Consoles exploded and crew members were thrown about. Maricus sat in his chair and was, for the first time, confused.

_I don't understand…they had no shields earlier._

"T'omake, can you find a weakness in their systems?"

"No sir," T'omake started, "But when we ran our scan of the vessel as they approached, it appeared there were only five life signs aboard."

_Five? _Maricus thought.

"Even with a skeleton crew, a ship of that magnitude usually runs with at least fifty officers!"

Then a thought came to him.

"Helm, with such a small crew compliment, it may be possible to overload their automation systems!

"Divert all power to engines, but first, let's inflict a little more damage!"

_They will not beat me again!_

The _Karzan _faced the _Enterprise _and charged directly at her. Three plasma torpedoes vented from the ship. The _Karzan _narrowly flew over the _Enterprise_'s bridge and peppered the saucer with its disruptors and another torpedo.

Then the _Karzan _reversed away from the ship and sped away, feigning its retreat.

_**Enterprise**_

"Sir, they appear to be retreating!" Sulu shouted to Kirk as he watched the Romulan ship reverse and fly _away _from the combat zone.

"Give chase, Mister Sulu. I want to make certain the Romulans don't give us any more trouble."

Sulu sped up the ship, watching as phasers spat out from the emitters.

_**Karzan**_

The _Karzan _shuddered again, the _Enterprise_'s phasers hitting the shields.

"Sir!" T'omake piped, "There may be a way to cripple their engines!"

"By all means," Maricus said with slight impatience.

"It is very tricky, and dangerous, but if we bring the ship close enough, fire a torpedo and cloak, and then repeat the maneuvers several times, we may be able to overwhelm their automation!"

"I don't understand how?"

"They'll be forced to maintain shield strength, fire weapons at us, most of which will miss us, plus maneuver around to avoid being hit. If they try it, I'm sure their automation system won't be able to handle that complex of a maneuvers. It is only supposed to be an emergency backup not meant for combat."

"And if that does not overload it?!"

"Then we better hope our fire and fade tactic is successful."

Maricus could tell T'omake was determined to see this through, but also nervous. True, the _Karzan _was almost unstoppable; but a move this complex could get _them _killed as well.

Maricus nodded. "We can do that. Helm, bring us about, full impulse!"

"Captain?!" The helmsman said, fear tainting his tone.

Maricus ran up to him. "I gave you a direct order, now follow it, or you will end up like Decessus!"

As Maricus took his seat, Dartha gripped his arm. "Maricus, are you sure this is wise?"

He looked her in the eye, empathizing with her fear.

"I know what I'm doing…"

_**Enterprise**_

Kirk watched as the Romulan vessel suddenly angled sharply to port and sped in the direction of the _Enterprise._

"Hang on!" Kirk shouted as the enemy spun in a complete circle that was impossible to target with phasers.

As it spun, it released yet another plasma torpedo.

"Report," Kirk shouted.

"That last shot dented our shields pretty badly, a'miral!" Scott reported.

"What are they doing now?"

"…they appear to have cloaked, Admiral!" Sulu said. "Our last phaser bursts missed them completely."

_Why? _Kirk wondered. _It's obvious they're not retreating._

"Mister Chekov, begin scanning for any signs of them."

Chekov complied.

"A Romulan standard fire and fade maneuver. I should have expected that from a War Eagle." Kirk mused. "He's out there…somewhere."  
Kirk starred at the viewscreen into the seemly emptiness of space. _Not empty enough!_

"Anything, Mister Chekov?"

"No, I-vait!" Chekov exclaimed. "Admiral, incoming…!"

And for the first time since his battle with Khan, he was completely caught off guard.

The _Karzan _decloaked directly above the _Enterprise _and spiraled downward to the saucer section before swooping past the bridge. A pair of torpedoes and a disruptor fan punched another dent into the damaged Federation vessel's shields.

"Shields down to twenty-percent, A'miral!" Scott called out as smoke filled the bridge and a pair of consoles exploded.

"They're coming in for another pass!" Sulu shouted.

"Evasive!"

"I'm trying! But every maneuver I'm trying to do either to avoid being hit or get us into a firing position the helm becomes sluggish!"

The _Enterprise _rolled to starboard, sidestepping the _Karzan._ But the Romulan ship did not let up.

It flew for the engineering section as though to ram it.  
"I knew it, A'miral, the automation system can't handle all these maneuvers." Scotty said as he fired the phasers again.

_**Karzan**_

The helm officer was skilled, Maricus knew. But now even he was getting nervous. He was flying extremely close to the _Enterprise, _hoping to cripple them.

"Helm, any changes?" he asked.

"Sir, when they rolled to starboard just now, their engines cut out momentarily, as did their shields!"

_Perfect, _he said, forcing a smile.

"One more pass should suffice. Once that's done, we will knock out their engines!"

_**Enterprise**_

As the _Karzan _narrowly missed the _Enterprise,_ Kirk noticed the lighting cut out, and the engines dying down.

"What's happening?"

"Sir, shields have cut out!" Chekov noted.

_How could they…?_

"A'miral, the automation system's finally overloaded! It's not meant to go into combat you know."

Kirk realized that whoever commanded that ship was skilled, very skilled. If it had been a rookie captain they could have beaten him, but this commander knew all the standard tactics as well as some unorthodox ones.

They were coming in for another pass, the torpedo emitter glowing.

"Scotty, fire everything we got, all torpedoes and every phaser bank, NOW!"

As the _Karzan_ fired its plasma torpedo the _Enterprise_ opened up a volley of phaser fire and torpedoes.

_**Karzan**_

"BRACE FOR IMPACT! DIVERT ALL SHIELD POWER TO THE NUMBER ONE SHIELD!" yelled Maricus as he saw the error of his attack. In his final moment of victory he had maneuvered his ship directly in front of the _Enterprise_. Now he was paying the price for that action. The ship buckled as the phaser fire hit the shields. The first torpedo missed the _Karzan_, but the other four directly against the forward shield. The _Karzan's_ shields had failed and backup power was all that was remaining. But the _Enterprise_ had taken a final hit to its port engine.

_**Enterprise**_

Kirk suddenly found himself flung to the floor. The bridge had taken heavy damage and lights were out. "Emergency power!" Kirk ordered. The emergency lights turned on as Bones attempt to help Kirk to his feet. "I'm all right, Bones. Stand by to return fire! Mr. Scott, transfer power to the phaser banks…"

"Captain, they've knocked out the automation center. I've got no control over anything! We could fire torpedoes maybe with the emergency controls but we used them all." Scotty said as he quickly tried to think of a solution to the problem. "Mr. Sulu?" Kirk needed options, fast. Sulu pressed a few buttons and then dropped back down into his seat. "Nothing, sir." Kirk looked around; no one had any options for him. "So, we're a sitting duck."


	24. Surrender

**Chapter 21: Surrender**

_**Karzan**_

The two ships sat facing each other, both just drifting slowly in space. T'omake looked at his control panel and said, "We have no shields but we can fire one more torpedo! Shall I…" Maricus raised his hand. "But sir, we should fire, it's the last thing we can do before we die." T'omake told him. "Why haven't they finished us? They outgun us ten to one; and we have no shields; yet they sit there." Maricus observed. He had been bested, he knew he had made a tactical mistake and his overconfidence had caused him to fail. _Maybe that's how Keras died? _"Commander, the enemy commander wishes a truce to confer." T'omake said, almost not believing it. "Typical Federation officer, put him on screen…" Maricus ordered. The screen activated and Maricus saw Admiral Kirk staring at him. "This is Admiral James T. Kirk of the Federation Starship _Enterprise_." _So this Kirk, this is my opposite number in the Federation. _He had been told many times on Romulus that Kirk was the Federation version of him. Kirk continued, "By violation of treaty signed between the Federation and Romulan Empire in 2160 after the Battle of Cheron at the end of the Earth-Romulan War, your presence here is an act of war. You have two minutes to surrender your crew and your vessel, or we will destroy you." Maricus understood the threat perfectly well, but something seemed wrong. Kirk's face and the way he spoke, Maricus could tell something was amiss. Maricus cut the audio and turned around to face T'omake, "He's hiding something. We may have finished him off like we intended." "How can you tell that?" asked T'omake. "I trust my instincts. He's bluffing, and I'm going to call him on it." He turned back around and turned the audio back on. "Admiral Kirk. This is your opponent speaking. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Commander Maricus, of the Romulan War Eagle _Karzan_."  
"Commander Maricus, where is the _Grissom_?"  
"I'm sorry Admiral; your science vessel was the victim of an unfortunate accident."

"The treaty of…"

"Do not lecture me about treaty violations. The Federation, in creating what could be used as an ultimate weapon, has become an intergalactic threat. It is not I who will surrender, it is you! On the planet below, I have three prisoners from the team who developed your Genesis device. If you do not surrender immediately, I will execute them, one at a time, as enemies of galactic peace."

"How dare you…"

"What I dare is none of your concern, that I have them is. But now, I will let you speak to them."

**Genesis**

Saavik was growing nervous. Each second passing seemed to be an hour; she began to wonder what became of the _Enterprise_. Then T'Linz viciously gripped her by the collar of her uniform. David and Spock followed up shortly.

"It would seem your pitiful band of rescuers has survived!" T'Linz shouted, shoving the communicator in Saavik's face.

She spoke into the communicator, "Admiral, this is Lieutenant Saavik."

"_Saavik!" _Admiral Kirk exclaimed. His voice was tainted with surprise, _"Is David with you?"_

"Yes, he is, and someone else; a Vulcan scientist of your acquaintance."

A moment of silence passed. Saavik imagined that Kirk was overwhelmed with emotions.

"_This Vulcan…is he alive?"_

"He is not himself, but he lives."

_**Enterprise**_

___Spock is alive! _Kirk thought.

"_His form is intact," _Saavik went on, _"and his mind is blank without his _Katra, _but he is doing well. The planet is tearing apart, you must hurry. The Romulan commander wants use the device not as weapon; he wants to restore his dead homeworld."_

McCoy cleared his throat, "Spock's alive? All thanks to me, I suppose."

After Saavik finished explaining, more silence passed, and then a new voice entered.

"_Hello, sir, it's David."_

Kirk smiled from ear to ear. _David _and _Spock, alive!_

"I'm sorry I'm late," he apologized.

"_It's okay, I should've known you'd come. Saavik is right; the planet's unstable, it's gonna destroy itself in a matter of hours."_

_Yet this Romulan commander still wants it for his own needs…_

"David, what went wrong?" Kirk asked.

David let out a sigh. _"I went wrong."_

"I don't understand-"

"_I'm sorry, sir. Just don't surrender. Genesis _doesn't _work; I can't believe they'd kill us for it!"_

Then the communication was severed for the moment.

_**Karzan**_

Maricus did not know who David was, or why he was important to Kirk, but he was growing furious at the notion that Genesis, the device that could create entire planets, builds new homes, was a failure.

"Admiral, your young friend is mistaken. I meant what I said. And now, you will stand down, lower your shields, and power down your weapons, or I shall kill one of the prisoners."

_Can I go through with this? _Maricus thought. He would do anything to bring back Zeulas; but he remembered the words of Titiana just before she died.

_"Maricus…don't go down that road, revenge, unforgiveness. That will only destroy you. I don't want that to happen to you."_

Her voice still echoed in his ears even as Admiral Kirk responded.

"_I will not do that, you have declared war!"_

"What I am doing is protecting the Empire. I ask you again, stand down!"

"_Are you prepared for war? You are in Federation space; I cannot surrender my vessel to you!"_

_He's calling my bluff now. _Maricus now realized that he might not be able to give the order when it came time to do so.

"I will repeat myself one more time; you will lower your shields and prepare to be boarded!"

"_You may want to use the device to only restore your planet, but that did not give you the right to attack the Grissom or my ship!"_  
"I'm giving you one last chance; you will surrender your vessel now!"

"_I have photon torpedoes armed and ready to fire! I will not surrender!"_

"Do you not realize what I am saying; surrender or one of them will die! Surrender and I promise I will release all of you when my mission is complete."

"_Is this all worth the price of war!?"_

["T'Linz, standby to kill one of them!] Maricus told T'Linz.

He would order him to kill the Human male. He needed the Vulcan male who was supposedly Captain Spock alive for studying and he didn't want to kill Saavik.

T'Linz replied, [_"Sir, with all due respect, it is the woman who should die, she is a disgrace to Romulan culture.]"_

["Standby..."]

[_"No sir!"_]

["T'Linz, no!]", but T'Linz ignored him.

**Genesis**

Saavik watched as T'Linz yelled into his communicator and then shut it off. She understood every last word he said, and now, she felt she would not make it off of Genesis.

The soldier approached the trio and removed a sharp, perfectly silver dagger.

Saavik and Spock each kept a stoic expression, but David tensed up nervously.T'Linz stared at Saavik, "Now, for betraying the Empire, and your Romulan blood, you die you traitorous _susse-thrai_!" He lunged for Saavik but suddenly David grabbed T'Linz and threw him to the side. He gave T'Linz a right hook and then a left. T'Linz kicked David in the face. ["_T'LINZ, STAND DOWN! STAND DOWN! STAND DOWN_!"] Maricus yelled through hiscommunicator. Saavik wanted to help David but Decessus held her back. David punched T'Linz again but suddenly T'Linz gained the upper hand and knocked David to the ground. He rose up his blade and then stabbed David in the chest. David cried out in pain and then everything faded. _Father..._

_**Enterprise**_

Kirk paced about the bridge, "Saavik?" He knew someone had died on the planet. "David?" Suddenly he heard Saavik's voice on the communication line, "_Admiral...David is dead." _Kirk felt as if his whole world had just ended, he stumbled back to sit in his chair, but he missed and fell on the floor. He didn't care; all he cared about was his son. He had spent so long away from him, but he had finally connected back with him, after Spock's death they had spoken...

"_Lieutenant Saavik was right: you never have faced death." David told him. He barely knew David, but those few words meant so much to him now, with Spock dead. It took him a few moments to compose himself. "No, not like this...I haven't faced death, I cheated death. I tricked my way out of death and patted myself on the back for my ingenuity." Everything he thought he knew and believed in seemed to be crashing down. "I know nothing." he told his son. "You knew enough to tell Saavik that how we face death is at least as important as how we face life." David told him as he sat down. They now were both sitting down looking at each other. It was the first time they had ever done so. "It was just words." Kirk told him. He felt complete defeated. Khan had beaten him, in the worst way, by giving him a no win situation. "But good words. That's where ideas begin. Maybe you should listen to them." David was reaching out to him, but Kirk wasn't sure if he deserved to accept it. "I was wrong about you. And I'm sorry." David said as sat up from his seat. "Is that what you came here to say?" Kirk asked. "Mainly." David replied and he turned to walk out. Kirk realized that if he didn't also reach out for his son he would lose him too forever, just like Spock. He stood up and David stopped walking. "And also that I'm..." David said as he turned around to face his father again. "...proud...very proud...to be your son." Kirk could barely hold back his tears; he could see David was the same. He walked over and gave him a hug. They stood there for a time, hugging each other, as a father and a son. His son was with him again..._

_...and now he was gone…_

_...forever…_

"Romulan bastards, you've killed my son." He said in a whisper. "Romulan bastards...you've killed my son!" this time he said loud enough for everyone to hear. Everyone on the bridge just looked at Kirk. They had no words to give him, none at all. Kirk suddenly rose up and gained some determination as he stared at the viewscreen. "Romulan bastard!"

_**Karzan**_

Maricus had turned off the viewscreen and slumped back into his command chair. _I just killed his son. He has lost his child, just like my precious Livia. What do I say, what can I do? He's my enemy, but I understand the pain he feels, no parent should outlive their own child. I'm a patriot, trying to save all that I hold dear...but I have just stolen from him, what he holds dear...Titiana, what have I become?_

He looked at his crew and saw they were waiting for his response. He knew he could show no weakness. "For Zeulas." he said and reactivated the viewscreen. "Surrender your vessel, Admiral." he said coldly but then very strangely he added a sad quiet, "Please." to his command.

_**Enterprise**_

_"Surrender your vessel, Admiral…please."_

The voice came from the Romulan commander…_Maricus…_that was his name. It came to Admiral Kirk more as a far-away voice. His mind was still a blur after receiving word of his son's death.

Finally, he mustered enough strength to stand up.

"All right," he said, raising up his hand. "All right, damn you!"

He sat back in his chair. "All right…" he repeated, fighting back tears of loss as he thought up his plan.

"Give me a minute to inform my crew."

Maricus just stared at the viewscreen. He seemingly forced a smile before he said, _"Admiral Kirk, I give two minutes to you and your honorable crew."_

_Two minutes is plenty of time…_

The viewscreen shut off

He turned back and gripped the railing. His plan ran through his mind.

_Can I do this? I just lost David…can I lose something else closer to me, too…?_


	25. Desperate Measures

**Chapter 22: Desperate Measures**

**_Karzan_**

"Dartha," he called out, waving his hand in her direction.

"Centurion S'Talon will form a squad of twenty soldiers for the boarding party, armed heavily. You will accompany him."

Darth remained silent for a moment, her face showing no expression. "Maricus, are you sure this is wise? They could set a trap for us."

Maricus stood up and faced her. "Dartha, you and the rest of the crew are the finest crew that Romulus has to offer. That's why the praetor approved of our mission. I'm sure you can handle five Starfleet officers."

He cleared his throat and made his tone more authoritative. "Do you think you can override the command control?"

She nodded her head 'yes'.

"Good. You have twelve hours, and if we encounter any other vessels, abandon the _Enterprise _at once. I would like to capture it but if that option does not present itself then so be it."

**_Enterprise_**

****After a few seconds of contemplation, Kirk reached out for McCoy's arm.

_We have to do this, _he thought. _We have to remove them from the equation._

He swiveled his chair and took in a deep breath. "Mister Sulu, what is the crew compliment of a Romulan War Eagle?"

"About…fifty officers, including a few soldiers and the commanding officer."

Kirk nodded. "With some of them on the planet…I swear to you, we're not finished yet!"

He stood up. "Bones, you and Sulu to the transporter room; the rest of you with me. We have a job to do.

**Genesis**

On the planet, Saavik couldn't help but glance at David again, the stab wound marring his chest.

Her emotions that had been suppressed for so many years tugged at her, this time with a stronger force. She felt a tear flowing down her cheek.

_David…_she thought. Saavik had grown to appreciate the young scientist. He had been so enthusiastic, had so much potential.

And now, all of it was gone, taken.

She noticed T'Linz muttering into his communicator for a few seconds before closing it and approaching her.

"Listen to me, I have been ordered to bring you back to the _Karzan _for reasons unknown. If it were my decision, I would kill you where you stand. But that will have to wait!" T'Linz said, that arrogant sneer returning to his face.

**_Karzan_**

A moment later, Saavik was back on this dreadful starship. T'Linz forcibly grabbed her arm and dragged her to Maricus on the bridge.

"Sir, here is the _susse-thrai _as you requested. What shall I do next?"

Maricus stared at him, clearly furious. "I gave you an order to standby. You disobeyed a direct order!" He walked over to where T'Linz stood.

"I'm sorry sir, an error in my judgment, it will not happen again."

"You're correct. It won't." Maricus said and in one quick move shoved his honor blade into T'Linz gut. T'Linz fell back against on the deck; he couldn't speak as he collapsed on the floor. He looked up at Maricus prepared to say something but his life ended before he could speak. Maricus removed his honor blade, drew out his disruptor, and shot T'Linz's body. The body instantly vaporized and Maricus looked up at his crew, "Let this remind you all what happens to those who disobey MY orders!"

Saavik surveyed her surroundings. A large group of Romulan soldiers were activating disruptors, among them a young female with short, black hair not dissimilar to hers.

She shared the same kind expression as Maricus.

"Saavik, I regret that T'Linz almost killed you earlier."

"Save your regrets for another time, Maricus. He cost the life of an innocent scientist."

Maricus shook his head. "Admiral Kirk has to know that I stand by my word."

Almost immediately, Kirk's voice broke in through Maricus' communicator. He transferred it to the viewscreen.

_"Commander Maricus."_

**_Enterprise_**

****"Prepare to board this ship on my next signal!" Kirk said.

_"Very well, Admiral. No tricks, understood? You have one minute."_

Kirk nodded. "No tricks. I'm looking forward to meeting you."

**_Karzan_**

Maricus shut off the viewscreen. "Saavik, you will wait here."

Saavik took a seat on the bridge. T'omake stared at her with bitter contempt as he pointed. Maricus, S'Talon, Dartha, and a group of soldiers trudged into the transporter room.

All of the soldiers exited the turbolift and stood ready on the pad, with an exception of Dartha; she closed the turbolift door, and stood facing Maricus.

"Maricus…" she began her tone almost joyful, "I just wanted to say this privately. Genesis will soon be in our hands, and Zeulas will be restored."

Maricus nodded his head in satisfaction.

She almost stepped out of the turbolift, but before that she gripped Maricus by his arm.

Hesitating no longer, she moved her face close to Maricus' own and kissed him deeply.

Maricus did not fight it. After what seemed like an eternity, she backed away.

"Dartha, do you realize that, if this succeeds, my family will be alive, most likely."

"Yes…but if they are not, I will be waiting."

She prepared to exit but this time Maricus grabbed her and gave her a short kiss, "I know you will be." They let go of each other and opened the turbolift door.

Then she walked onto the pad, waiting as seconds ticked by as Maricus returned to the bridge.

**_Enterprise_**

As McCoy and Sulu walked in the direction of the transporter room, Kirk, Chekov and Scott all three sat in front of an emergency console.

Kirk began to tremble. _This is it…_

"Computer…this is Admiral James T. Kirk, request security access."

The computer confirmed Kirk's identity.

He breathed deeply, prepared to activate something he had only done once.

"Computer, destruct sequence one. Code one-one-A."

Kirk shuddered involuntarily, and Chekov and Scott starred at him, looks of shock crossed their faces. The computer entered the code.

A distant memory intruded Kirk's thoughts. He remembered himself setting almost the exact same code when Cheron native Bele used his mind control to guide the vessel. He remembered the things he told Bele as he sat there listening to the computer count down, "_From five to zero, no command in the universe can prevent the computer from fulfilling its destruct orders. You can use your will to drag this ship to Cheron, but I command the computer. Mine is the final command."_

Bele had released control of the ship, preventing her destruction. Bele believed he was bluffing but Kirk had been fully prepared to destroy the ship then, just as he was now. This simply _had _to be done.

Kirk gestured to Scott. It was his turn now.

"Computer, Commander Montgomery Scott, chief engineering officer. Destruct sequence two. Code one-one-A…" he hesitated momentarily.

"…two-B," Scott finished. Kirk could tell Scott was growing sad. He had worked on this ship for years, had gotten her out of so many deadly situations with nothing less than a few battle marks.

This code was implanted as well. Being a computer, Kirk knew it obviously could not hesitate…

He and Scott both gazed at Chekov. It was all down to him now. Chekov, the chief of security, could cancel the order now if he had wanted to. Part of Kirk's mind hoped against hope that he would back out and cancel the order immediately, not caring if the _Enterprise _fell into Romulan hands.

"Computer…this is Commander Pavel Chekov, acting science officer," he said, breathing heavily and visibly sweating, just as Kirk and Scott were. "Destruct sequence three…code one-B, two-B-Three."

The computer displayed the exact sequence as it was stated by the three crewmen.

_"Destruct sequence completed and engaged," _said the feminine computer voice. _"Awaiting final code for one-minute countdown."_

This time, Kirk did not hesitate. It was too late for that now.

"Code zero-zero-zero, destruct…zero." Kirk completed the code, his voice flat.

The code implanted itself. For a moment, Kirk felt as if the computer voice were hesitating. _Did it not want the _Enterprise _to be destroyed either?_

_"Destruct sequence is activated."_

Then the sixty-second countdown began.

_60…59…58…_

Almost immediately Kirk wanted to say, "_Computer, this is Admiral James Kirk of the U.S.S. Enterprise. Code 1-2-3-continuity abort destruct order. Repeat: code 1-2-3-continuity abort destruct order." _But he couldn't, not this time. Kirk, Scott and Chekov rushed out of the bridge and ventured into the crimson-colored hallway. Kirk did not look back as he ran past crew quarters; the rooms that had, for twenty years, been the home of brave, valiant Starfleet officers who served aboard this ship during its service life.

As he ran to the transporter room, Kirk wondered if there would ever be another ship named _Enterprise..._

_"Kirk, your time runs out!" _Maricus' voice intervened.

"All set?" Kirk asked McCoy and Sulu.

"Aye sir," Sulu replied.

Kirk flipped his communicator open as he stepped on the pad.

"Commander Maricus, we are energizing transporter beam now."

**_Karzan_**

"Transporter, stand by." He said through his communicator.

He looked over at Saavik. "When our planet is restored, I hope, in the future, you will consider visiting. It is a wonderful home."

"Do not speak to me." Saavik said with nothing short of bitterness.

**_Enterprise_**

****Kirk and his entourage dematerialized from the ship immediately. They would have to be very quick, and he hoped the Romulans would not be able to trace their transporter beam.

A moment later, they were on the planet.

S'Talon, Dartha and the boarding party appeared on the pad shortly after, disruptors ready.

S'Talon led the group out of the room and into the corridor. The first thing Dartha noticed was the peculiar red lighting that shone around the passageway. S'Talon ordered half of the group to head for Engineering while the rest headed for the bridge. The bridge would be the most likely spot to find the final pieces of the puzzle of the Genesis device itself.

Dartha gripped the handle of her disruptor and kept it pointed forward, ready to take on any resistance.

As the team trudged the corridor, she wondered why none of the crew had ambushed them.

_It would be a futile gesture_, she thought.

Finally they made it to the bridge…

…it was empty, devoid of any crew.

Dartha raised up her eyebrow. For good measure, she yelled. "Federation crew, show yourselves!"

No one answered. Perhaps they were hiding; there were only five of them, and it was a big ship, after all.

**_Karzan_**

****Maricus wondered if his crew had ambushed Kirk yet. Then S'Talon radioed in.

_"Maricus, the ship appears to be deserted. There's no one on the bridge."_

_What? _Maricus thought. _I was speaking to Admiral Kirk only one minute ago!_

"How can that be? They're hiding!" he proclaimed.

_"Yes, sir. But there appears to be a computer running the bridge. It must be keeping the ship on autopilot…wait, I hear a voice!"_

_"Let me hear it." _Maricus ordered sternly.

A few seconds passed, and then he heard it.

_"Fourteen…thirteen…twelve…"_

_NO! They have set a self-destruct countdown!_

**_Enterprise_**

****Dartha could hear the voice counting down. She looked around for the source. S'Talon looked at her, "Can you deactivate it?"

_"Eleven…ten…nine…eight…"_

"Over there!" she gestured to the main computer, running towards it.

Dartha frantically tried to find the wiring compartment. Not willing to allow her weakness to show, she remained calm, searching. "Hurry!" S'Talon yelled with his communicator still on. She heard Maricus voice come from it, "_Transporter room, get them the hell out of there! Get them out, get them out!"_

_"Seven…six…five…four…"_

She found it and almost cried out with joy. She cut the wiring, but then realized it was too late…

_"Three…two…"_

_It's past five seconds, nothing can stop it._

"Maricus…" she muttered.

_"One…"_

And then a bright, white flash filled her vision.


	26. Down With The Enterprise

**Chapter 23: Down with the ****_Enterprise_**

_This is the destruction of the _U.S.S. Enterprise:

_The Death of the Federation flagship is not anti-climactic by any means._

_The first area to go is the bridge. Consoles explode and Romulan soldiers are tossed about and slammed against consoles and bulkheads. Then every last main viewport shatters as though made of brittle ice before the bridge rips apart._

_The vessel is not gone yet, however. She begins to drift downwards, carried to the planet by its gravity. The Romulan War Eagle that damaged her, banks as far away from the _Enterprise _as possible, fire erupts from her bridge, short-lived in the vacuum of space._

_The forward portion of her saucer section begins to disintegrate. The once-proud markings on her hull disappear, shown as nothing more than dents against a saucer._

_As she drifts closer to the planet, her main saucer section is next to go; the forward portion explodes cataclysmically, seemingly made of some inferior material. It bursts open, sending heavy pieces all across space, short lived flames coming and going._

_The remaining hulk of the ship, consisting of the engineering section and nacelles drifts ever so slowly towards Genesis. Glowing from re-entry, appearing more like a comet than a starship._

_ The starship _Enterprise _has been reduced to space debris. She burns up through the atmosphere, seen by members of her crew, and the crew of the Romulan ship…_

_Each one of has lost something else that had been dear to them…_


	27. Saving Captain Spock

**Chapter 24: Saving Captain Spock**

**Genesis**

Admiral Kirk stopped on one of the slopes of Genesis, staring up at his former command as she burned up.

Scott, McCoy, Sulu and Chekov gazed at the fire streaking through the sky.

Looks of sadness shown on all of their faces. His grief from the loss of David, combined with the loss of the _Enterprise _was overwhelming.

Finally, he spoke up. "My God, Bones…what have I done?" he asked.

"What you had to do. What you always do, you turned death into a fighting chance to live."

_This must be the _true _no-win scenario_, Kirk thought as the ship continued to burn. _How did I do? _He pondered, more to the ship than to his crew.

_Mine is the final command..._

Sulu looked at his tricorder readings, "Planet core readings, unstable, changing rapidly." "What about surface life signs?" asked Kirk. Sulu looked again at his tricorder, then pointed down into a valley, "There." he said. Kirk and the group headed in the direction Sulu indicated. _Hold on Spock, we're coming. _Kirk just hoped they weren't too late.

Spock was in a panic with Saavik gone. "Saavik!" he kept yelling. "Be quiet!" yelled Decessus. Spock began to run but Decessus grabbed him. "Saavik!" Spock yelled again. "I said, be QUIET, you _veruul_!" Decessus said as punched Spock in the face. Spock cried out in pain.

Kirk and the others ran down the hill, looking around the planet, the world was shaking from earthquakes and fires were erupting everywhere. Kirk suddenly heard Spock's cry of pain. Kirk quickly ran to where he heard the cry come from.

Spock grabbed Decessus and, with his great Vulcan strength, threw him several feet. Decessus rolled over and got back up to his feet and looked at Spock. The Vulcan was crouched down, like an animal in a completely defensive instinct. "Oh, so that's how you want it." Decessus said as he put away his disruptor and pulled out his honor blade. He quickly looked around, the planet was destroying itself, but he knew the commander would beam them up before things became too deadly. For now he would have his fun; he always wanted to fight a Vulcan in hand to hand combat. He lunged for Spock and attempt to stab him with the blade.

Kirk came running into the clearing where Spock and Decessus were struggling. He saw Spock; he still couldn't believe Spock was alive. "SPOCK!" he yelled. Decessus looked up and saw Kirk. He quickly rose up and reached for his disruptor. Kirk fired his phaser and hit Decessus in the chest. Decessus fell over dead and Kirk looked down at his phaser. It was set to kill, he never set it to kill automatically, he decided he must have forgotten, or had he? He quickly ran over to Spock with the others. He looked around and saw no sign of Saavik. "Bones." he said and McCoy leaned over Spock with his medical tricorder in hand. He began looking at his life readings when suddenly he noticed Kirk walking away from Spock. He was walking over to the lifeless body of his son. Kirk knelt down beside his son, removed his leather jacket and covered the body with it. The crew watched him silently as he had his final moment with his son. "Goodbye David...my son...I'm still very proud of you. You chased your dream till the end." Kirk said in a whisper. He stood up and looked at his fellow crew members. _How will I tell Carol? _He walked over to Spock and asked McCoy, "How is he?" "He's alive, I don't know how, but he is." McCoy told him. "What about his mind?" Kirk asked. "His mind is a void. It seems Admiral, that I've got all his marbles."

_Remember..._

_Oh, will you just shut up Spock!_

"Is there anything we can do?" Kirk asked. "Only one thing Admiral," said Sulu looking at his tricorder again, "Get him and us off this planet, the planet will be gone in an hour at most." The planet shook again and several chasms opened up near them. _Yes, we must leave, but how? _Kirk suddenly noticed a Romulan communicator that Decessus had dropped, during his struggle with Spock, lying on the ground. He picked it up and activated it. "Commander Maricus, this is Admiral James T. Kirk. I am alive and well on the planet's surface."

**_Karzan_**

Maricus sat in his chair with his head down. He felt completely defeated; he had lost half his crew on the _Enterprise_. _Dartha, oh Dartha, why did you have to die, why did I send you over there? I sent you to your death. _He felt such loss; he hadn't felt like this since Titiana had died. He knew the Empire would not be happy with the results of his mission. He suddenly heard Kirk's transmission, "_Commander Maricus, this is Admiral James T. Kirk. I am alive and well on the planet's surface_."

_How? How are you still alive?_

He raised his head as Kirk continued, "_I know this may come as a pleasant surprise for you. But are ship was the victim of an unfortunate accident. Sorry about your crew but as we say on Earth, 'C'est la vie'."_

_Damn you Kirk, damn you to hell!_

After a brief pauseKirk continued speaking, "_I have what you want, I have the secret of Genesis. But you're going to have to bring us up there to get it. Do you hear me? I'm waiting for you! What is your answer?" _"I'll show you my answer!" Maricus said to himself as he grabbed his honor blade and disruptor. He needed Spock now. With Genesis dying and Dartha dead, the thing he needed to make his Genesis device plan successful was Spock. He grabbed Saavik and took her to the transporter room. "Time for you to be reunited with your friends on the surface." He stepped onto the pad and held her tightly with his disruptor pointed at her. "Energize!" he ordered. Saavik noticed something different about him. _He's losing his grip on reality. His grief is driving him insane!_

**Genesis**

Kirk continued to pace as he waited for Maricus' reply. The planet continued to fall apart around them as rocks began falling from the cliff side next to them. "We need to move!" yelled McCoy. Suddenly they heard a transporter beam a few meters from them. Kirk raised his phaser prepared to shoot whoever it was. But he soon realized he couldn't, because he saw Commander Maricus hold a disruptor at Saavik. "Drop all weapons, or I'll kill her!" Maricus ordered. Kirk and the others complied and dropped their weapons. The wind continued to build around them and the planet shook again. "Over there..." Maricus gestured with his disruptor, "All but Kirk." They all stood up and McCoy grabbed Spock to help him over with them. "No, leave the Vulcan!" he ordered. "You should beam the Vulcan too!" said Kirk.

"No!"

"Why?"

"It is not your place to question my decisions!" _I need him as my final bargaining chip._

"Please, do as he says admiral." Saavik said calmly. McCoy released Spock and walked over to the others. Maricus threw Saavik over to them and she landed on the ground next to Decessus' body. She suddenly saw Decessus' disruptor was still in his holster. She quickly grabbed it and tucked it under her coat. Maricus did not notice because his focus was on Kirk now. Maricus pulled out his communicator, "T'omake! Beam the prisoners aboard now. Activate beam!" Kirk looked and saw his entire crew beam away leaving only himself, Spock, and Maricus on the planet. Maricus put away his communicator and told Kirk, "Genesis, I want it! I must have it, for Zeulas!" "Beam the Vulcan up, and we'll talk." replied Kirk. _Not so fast Kirk! _Maricus slowly approached Kirk, "Give me what I want, and I'll consider it!"

"Why all this? Why did you risk war with the Federation?"

"An old Romulan saying, '_When something must be obtained, you must be prepared to do anything for it, whether in peace or war.' -_Admiral Valdore in 2159."

"I understand why you are doing this, you feel great loss, but that didn't give you the right to take my son's life!"

"I have been betrayed by my government. They didn't care about Zeulas. Now I will take Genesis and restore Zeulas!"

"You fool; look around you, this planet is destroying itself!"

"It was never meant to be here in the first place, Genesis will work on Zeulas; I know it! I can feel it in my very own soul!"

"You're trying to save something you can't save!"

"Isn't that what you're trying to do, too?!"

Maricus was now only two meters away from Kirk. For a short time they stood there silently as the planet continued to die around them. They just stood there studying each other, both wanted to save what the cared for, both were defying orders to do so. They both realized that besides they're different species; they were parallels of each other. It was like looking into a mirror.; except Maricus was much more ruthless and desperate then Kirk. _Could I have become as desperate as him? _Kirk wondered. Suddenly the ground shook and a rock rose up out of the ground knocking Maricus on top of Kirk. He had dropped his disruptor and Kirk punched him in the head. They both rose and starred at each. The final fight had begun.


	28. The Final Fight

**Chapter 25: The Final Fight**

**_Karzan_**

Saavik thought she had been going around in circles. One moment, she was back on Genesis, now she was back on the _Karzan._ She found herself on the transporter pad with Sulu, Scott, McCoy and Chekov beside her.

She decided it was time act.

Saavik slammed her arm into the Romulan officer beside her and removed Decessus' disruptor from her coat pocket. The transporter officer tried to fire, but was cut off when Saavik squeezed a shot off and vaporized him.

Saavik tossed another disruptor to Sulu. Chekov swung his fist into a tall-standing soldier, knocking him to the ground. Sulu opened a panel which contained a few more disruptors. They now were all fully armed. But an intruder alert had been sounded. "The shields have been raised. Ve can't beam up the Admiral or Mister Spock." Chekov told them. "Ok, McCoy, stay here and stand by to activate the transporter when we have got the shields down. Scotty, you and Pavel head for engineering while Saavik and I head for the bridge." ordered Sulu. "Aye, Captain Sulu." replied Scotty. _Captain Sulu, I like the sound of that. _He was taking charge of this mission. They all headed out for their targets as McCoy walked over to the transporter. "Why do I get all the fun jobs?" he said to himself.

**Genesis**

As fire erupted from the surface of Genesis, Maricus and Kirk continued to circle each other, Kirk had removed his red Starfleet jacket and Maricus had removed his red sash from his shoulder. "You know only one of us is getting off this planet alive." Maricus told him as some lightning and thunder came down. "I know." Kirk replied.

_For Dartha!_

_For David!_

And they both lunged for each other.

**_Karzan_**

Scotty and Chekov ran down a corridor heading towards engineering when suddenly they saw three Romulan soldiers exit a turbolift. The Romulans fired at them as Scotty dived for a door. Chekov fired once killing one soldier. He then dived into an adjacent door from Scotty. "Laddy, I'm getting too old from this!" said Scotty and then he fired a couple of times at the Romulans.

Sulu and Saavik had almost reached the bridge with only light resistance. "So far, so good." Sulu said to Saavik.

**Genesis**

Maricus wrapped both of his hands around Kirk's neck, pulling him up, throttling him back and forth. Kirk shoved his fists into the Romulan's torso, but it was not enough to make Maricus lose his grip.

Kirk grimaced in pain, but Maricus did not let up; he was long past caring about this admiral.

"GIVE ME GENESIS!" he snarled fiercely; his grief over Dartha, his crew and now Genesis was starting to get the better of him.

Kirk made a cutting motion with his hands, slamming them into Maricus' shoulders.

Maricus bashed his face into Kirk's own, throwing him onto the surface.

**_Karzan_**

Scotty fired two more times and hit both Romulans in the chest, killing them. "Vhere did you learn to shoot like that?" asked Chekov. "Lad, never doubt a Scotsman. Come along!" They continued down the corridor. They came up to the door to Engineering when suddenly they were assaulted by a barrage of enemy fire. Chekov dived into the door way of Engineering but Scotty was several meters away in another doorway. "Chekov, go on. I'll make sure they don't come up on your rear!" Another shot whizzed past Scotty's head as he ducked back into the doorway. Chekov fired a couple of shots, missing completely. "Are you sure?" asked Chekov. "Yes, I am. Now go!" Scotty fired again at the Romulans. There were six in total. As Chekov prepared to go onwards, Scotty called to him, "Remember lad, disruptors and Engineering, don't mix very well!" "You don't have to tell me!" Chekov called back as he entered Engineering. He hid behind one of the giant power units that were used to feed power for the plasma torpedoes. He heard a noise, someone else was in Engineering. He knew he had to get to better position. He stood up, still standing behind one of the rows of power units. He prepared to run as fast as he could. _Here goes nothing! _He leapt out and ran while dogging several blasts of disruptor fire. _Someone didn't get your message Scotty about disruptors and Engineering!_

Sulu and Saavik reached the door to the main bridge. Sulu opened the door and leaped in to dodge some disruptor fire. Saavik was about to enter but suddenly she felt the arms of a Romulan officer grab her from behind. She spun around and punched the Romulan in the face. She hit him several more times but soon the Romulan had recovered and grabbed her. They struggled for a moment before they both fell into the turbo lift. The Romulan yelled something Saavik didn't quite catch, and suddenly the turbolift started going down. _He separated me from Sulu!_

Sulu leaped out from behind a console and fired several shots where he had just seen and Romulan officer. The Romulan was nowhere to be seen now. Suddenly Sulu looked to his right and saw T'omake leaping on top of him. In their brief struggle they had both dropped their weapons. _I hope my martial arts training is up to the task._

**Genesis**

Kirk rose to his feet again and punched Maricus in the head a couple of times. Maricus gave Kirk a flying kick. Maricus was pretty good at fighting with the _Ch'Vashrek _fighting style. He hit Kirk in the neck while Kirk spun around and hit him with a double fist punch to the back. Maricus, being a Romulan, was physically stronger than Kirk but that didn't guarantee his victory. Maricus grabbed Kirk and punched him in the gut. Kirk backed up a few steps and then tried to kick Maricus in the face. Maricus caught his foot in his hands and flipped Kirk over and Kirk landed on the ground on his belly. He quickly rolled over and got up to his feet. The whole world was becoming a hellish landscape. The planet only had minutes of life left before the atmosphere would be completely gone. Still Maricus pressed on his attack; he ran over to Kirk and punched him twice. Kirk blocked both blows. Now that they were both weakened they began to play more defensively. Kirk would attack and Maricus would defend, then Maricus would attack and Kirk would defend. Maricus swung around another kick and sent Kirk to the ground again. Maricus had clearly the upper hand in the fight now.

**_Karzan_**

The fight between Sulu and T'omake was not going to well for Sulu. He kicked at T'omake again and missed. T'omake karate style chopped at Sulu again, hitting him in the leg again. _I may not become captain of the Excelsior, but I am NOT GOING TO DIE HERE TODAY!_

Sulu thought as he suddenly had a surge of strength. He hit T'omake in the face and very quickly gained the upper hand in the fight.

Scotty was being slowly overwhelmed by the Romulan soldiers. Five still remained. He knew he couldn't hold them back much longer. He pulled out his communicator, "Chekov, hurry! I can't hold them much longer!"

McCoy heard Scotty's transmission, and suddenly an idea popped in his head. It wasn't an idea he would have come up with. _I can't beam anyone through the shields, but I can beam myself behind the Romulans that are attacking Scotty._

_Wait just a damn minute I might end up in a bulkhead for all I know._

_No, we will survive._

_Who said that?_

_I did._

_Who's I?_

_Me._

_SPOCK!_

_I am Leonard McCoy._

_No, you're the marbles of that green blooded Vulcan._

_But I am also you._

_Shut up!_

_I know the calculations._

_I don't! I hate transporters._

_But I don't._

_It doesn't matter!_

_Yes, it does. In one minute Mr. Scott will be dead._

_I can't let that happen!_

_Then trust me, trust us._

_I trust you. But promise me one thing?_

_Yes?_

_When you are you again, grow a beard. As I said before, it gave you character._

_Really doctor…_

_Oh, come on, let's get this over with!_

_Remember…_

Suddenly without knowing what he was doing he began entering the data into the transporter. He then stepped onto the pad and the beam energized.

_I may not know how to do it but Spock does._

_Remember…_

_You shut up you green bl…_

Chekov wandered about the Engineering section, trying to find the Romulan soldier. He heard a noise coming from around a corner. With his disruptor in hand he whipped around the corner and saw Ral'k, the chief engineer, next to a control panel. He didn't have to read Romulan to understand the diagram. The engineer had set the warp engines to explode and all he had left to do was press the button to do it. "Hold it right there!" said Chekov, "You lose today, Romulan."

Ral'k smirked and replied, "No, you lose, long live the Empire!" Chekov suddenly noticed the Romulan's hand hovering over the button to destroy the ship. It was going to come down to who was faster. Chekov kept his hand steady on his disruptor while the Romulan continued to smirk. _I failed Captain Terrell on Ceti Alpha V, but I won't fail Admiral Kirk. No more failures! No more letdowns! This one is for you, Clark Terrell! _He locked his sights on the Romulan engineer and pulled the trigger. The Romulan was instantly vaporized before he could touch the button. Chekov felt he had finally found the redemption he was looking for.

Scotty fired again at the Romulans. He grumbled in annoyance as he fired shot after shot from his disruptor. He yelled, "Chekov, if you can hear me lad, I'm gettin' o'erwhelmed here!"  
Another disruptor shot buzzed by, narrowly missing his head.  
_I need a drink…_he thought. He also wondered if Chekov's quest had succeeded. Another disruptor shot buzzed by, narrowly missing his head.  
Suddenly, he heard the familiar shrill of a transporter beam-in.  
_More resistance_, he thought, groaning.  
Several disruptor shots rang through the air, both aimed at the soldiers. One after the other vaporized into nothingness, Scott grinned from ear to ear.  
The shooting stopped and all resistance in the engineering sector was gone. Chekov and Doctor McCoy emerged out.  
"Are you happy now, you pointy-eared bastard?!" McCoy grumbled.  
"Ah, lads, you're alive!" Scott said with joy.  
"Spock's voice gave me an idea to beam myself down here. It was dumb and risky, but I guess it worked."  
Chekov added, "The engineer nearly blew up the ship; all he had to do was press one button!"  
Scott congratulated him.  
"Engineering is ours; now where is Mister Sulu?"  
"Last I saw of him," McCoy began, "was heading over to the bridge."  
Scott nodded and directed Chekov to follow him. McCoy ran back to the transporter room.

T'omake shoved his fist to Sulu's face, but Sulu was quicker with his reflexes. He grabbed the Romulan's wrist, twisted his arm and shoved him down on the deck. The soldier struggled to regain his footing, but for good measure, Sulu kicked him in the side of his head.

_I don't think today is your lucky day, _he thought as the soldier stood on all fours, spitting green blood on the deck.

Suddenly, in one swift motion, T'omake stood up and charged Sulu, pinning him against the wall. Then he slipped a knife from his pocket.

The Romulan spat some of his blood on Sulu's uniform.

"You will not live much longer, Federation scum!"

**Genesis**

On the surface of the fiery planet, Kirk regained his footing. Maricus ran at him, screaming like a deranged animal.

_"AHHHHH!" _He plowed into Kirk with all of his strength. Only meters away, a portion of land crumbled, replaced with a pocket of fire and lava. Soon, the entire planet would end up that way.

_Perhaps neither of us is leaving here today, _Kirk thought solemnly.

Kirk slammed a fist into the commander's face, bloodying his nose and dislodging a couple of his teeth.

**_Karzan_**

Saavik felt her head aching as she was slammed into the bulkhead. The Romulan soldier punched her again as she stood up. She defect his next blow and hit him. "Weakling…don't you understand you cannot win. You'll die just like the rest of your pathetic friends." The Romulan said as he kicked her down again. Her memories went to David and T'Linz stabbing him, it's all she could see. "NOOOO!" she yelled and she lost all emotional control. _Damn logic to hell! _She thought as she rose up and attacked the Romulan with all her strength. She hit him again and again. He never had a chance to hit back. She was so enraged she didn't care about anything but defeating the Romulan. She kicked him onto the floor and suddenly noticed she had kicked him down to where he had dropped his weapon. He reached for it but she blocked his hand. She punched him in the face and grabbed the weapon. She pointed it at him but he grabbed it with his hands pushed it to the side. They continued struggling for the weapon.

Sulu kicked T'omake's hand but he did not lose his grip on the knife. T'omake lunged for Sulu and Sulu spun around and grabbed T'omake's arm. He hit T'omake's arm once and T'omake grabbed Sulu's face and began squeezing. Then he let go and grabbed his throat. Sulu began gasping for air.

**Genesis**

Kirk grabbed a piece of a tree branch and began swinging it at Maricus. He hit him once on the right side and then in the left leg. Maricus was weakening but he was far from done. He blocked Kirk's third blow and swung Kirk up against a rock. He began trying to beat Kirk's head against the rock. Kirk grabbed Maricus and kicked him. Maricus fell on the ground and rolled over. He got to his feet only to see Kirk's fist coming at him. Kirk punched Maricus and he fell down to a lower ledge.

**_Karzan_**

Saavik was fighting almost like an animal now. She clawed at the Romulan's face. And he finally let go of the weapon. She spun away from him and then turned to face him. She aimed the disruptor at him and fired. The Romulan laid at rest on the ground, dead. Her vision became less hazy and she finally recovered and remembered where she was. _What have I done? I let go of all emotional control! I betrayed everything I was taught. _She looked around and saw no one else in the corridor she was in. She headed back towards the bridge to find Sulu.

Sulu was nearly unconscious as T'omake continued to squeeze his hand on Sulu's throat. "I win!" said T'omake triumphantly. But suddenly he noticed Sulu was grinning. _Does he think death is funny? _Sulu was grinning because he had finally moved T'omake's other hand that held the knife in the perfect position. He suddenly pushed T'omake's hand and the knife into T'omake's torso. T'omake felt a sudden surge of pain and looked down. There was the hilt of his knife sticking out of him. He fell to the floor, he knew with medical help immediately he might live. Sulu went over to the door to check for re-enforcements. T'omake began to crawl for the command chair. _One last duty, to perform…they haven't won yet._

**Genesis**

Genesis was now hell. The landscape was devastated. Fire was everywhere, and trees were burning. Some parts of the planet were covered now in lava. Genesis, the dream of new life in the Federation, was now just a planet of death.

Kirk leapt down to where Maricus was, landing on top of the Romulan. Maricus quickly shoved him off and got to his feet. They now were standing at the edge of a cliff. At the bottom almost a mile down was a lake of magma. Maricus began trying to push Kirk off the ledge but Kirk held his ground. He punched Maricus and spun him around. Now Kirk was attempting to push him over the edge, but Maricus's training saved his life. He kicked Kirk and then did a quick flip to the side and away from the edge. Kirk and Maricus both traded a couple of blows before Maricus swung Kirk up against another rock. Kirk anticipated another attack but it never came. Instead Maricus began climb up the hill back towards where Spock still laid on the ground. _If I can't beat Kirk, I'll leave him here. Time to collect the Vulcan and beam out!_

**_Karzan_**

Sulu raised his disruptor as he heard someone coming but lowered it as he saw it was Scotty and Chekov. "What's the situation?" asked Sulu. "Well, we have taken the ship. No survivors though. Typical Romulans, they wouldn't allow themselves to be captured." Scotty told him. "Well, except this one behind me." Sulu said turning around. They all noticed at once T'omake nearly had his hand on the control panel. They went running toward him but they didn't have to prevent him from touching the controls. His hands slipped from the chair and he fell back to the floor as he was now too weak to stand. He quickly grabbed his disruptor that was lying on the ground and pointed himself.

_I failed the Commander, I failed the Empire, I failed Zeulas, and I failed my wife…now I pay the price…oh, Iunia…_

And with the last thoughts of his dead wife, he pulled the trigger and vaporized. Saavik entered the bridge a moment later. She looked at the others without saying a word. They knew something was wrong but they didn't ask her about it. She quietly took a seat at the science station. "Well, no more enemy crew. The wessel is ours." said Chekov.

**Genesis**

Maricus scrambled to the top of the small cliff face. He began trudging over to where Spock was lying. He was determined not to fail this time. Suddenly he felt something hit his back. It was Kirk! He tackled him to the ground. "I'll give you this Kirk. You never give up." He told Kirk. "I don't like to lose." Kirk replied. Kirk hit him in the face. Maricus recovered and kicked Kirk. The fire on the surface was nearly them as the ground shook again. The ledge they had been standing on almost a minute ago broke off and fell into the lava below. Kirk punched Maricus to the ground. Kirk suddenly heard a voice. _"Captain, we have taken control of the ship!" _It was Sulu's voice. Kirk grabbed the communicator and Spock. He noticed Maricus roll over to where Kirk had dropped his phaser. "Energize!" yelled Kirk. He began to beam away just as Maricus aimed the phaser at them. "NO!" yelled Maricus but a few seconds later they were gone. Maricus dropped the phaser and looked around. He was all alone now. His crew dead and his ship captured. He turned and looked at the sun shining over the nearly dead planet. He began slowly walking over to one of the only clear spots left on the surface. His wife's final words rang through his ears, _"Maricus, don't go down that road…revenge, unforgiveness. That will only destroy you. I don't want that to happen to you." _He looked around at the dying world and dropped to his knees. _You were right Titiana. I ignored what you said, and it has destroyed me. I had to try to bring Zeulas back; not just let its memories live on in my mind and heart. I was wrong Titiana. I was so wrong; I only hope you can forgive me. _He starred across the planet's surface and at the shining sun. He, like Keras, had become like Aev in, _"I Lata Arham Urri, E'Lev"._

_Titiana…Livia…I'm coming home…and we'll never be apart again. I'm coming home…_

And with that, the dying planet of Genesis consumed him.


	29. Escape From Genesis

**Chapter 26: Escape from Genesis**

_**Karzan**_

Kirk entered the bridge to see Sulu, Chekov and Scotty looking at the navigational control panel. McCoy was already in the sickbay helping Spock. "Let's get out of here!" ordered Kirk. "Where's the damn antimatter inducer!" said Scotty, who was unfamiliar with the Romulan controls. "This…" Chekov said pointing at a blue button, his hand quickly moved again though, "No, this!" He said pointing at a green button. Kirk through his hands up in the air, frustrated. _I just survived fighting a Romulan commander, just to die because my crew can't make the ship move? _"That…or nothing…" Scotty said as he punched the green button. The Karzan began drifting away from the planet as the warp core began charging. "If I read this right sir, we have full power." Sulu told Kirk. "Go, Sulu!" replied Kirk. The _Karzan_ flew away at full impulse as the planet died behind them.

"Goodbye David." Kirk said in a low voice. "Sir, one vessel entering the system. It's the _Excelsior._" said Sulu. "Can you activate the cloaking device?" asked Kirk. "Yes, sir, I can." replied Sulu. The ship cloaked just as the _Excelsior _came into scanning range. "Sir, I'm reading two more wessels entering the system. Tholian _Quartz-_class." Chekov told Kirk. "They probably had a monitoring station nearby and detected the planet's breakup." said Saavik. "Any communications?" Kirk asked Saavik. "Yes, putting it on audio." Saavik hit a button and they heard a Tholian voice say, "_This is commander Catskrene, of the Tholian Assembly, we wish to know what has transpired here."_

"_So do we, this is Captain Phillip Kosnett of the Federation Starship Excelsior. Stand down or we will open fire!" _

"What happen to Styles?" asked Sulu, "Lad, I think he's probably commanding a tugboat now." replied Scotty. Sulu smiled, knowing the embarrassment Styles must have felt when they got away.

"_Of course, this is Federation space, we only wish to be sure of the events that have transpired here. No hostile action will be taken. Catskrene out."_

"I'm glad Kosnett's reputation precedes him. They're won't be any trouble here so I don't think were needed to stay around and see what happens." said Kirk. 'We are clear and free to navigate." Sulu informed him. "Sulu, best speed to Vulcan." Kirk ordered. "Aye sir." Sulu said taking one last look at the _Excelsior. Kosnett's position as captain is probably temporary since his ship, the Kongo is under repairs and with Styles out; I just may yet get the Excelsior…maybe…_

The _Karzan'_swarp drive activated and the ship exited the system unnoticed. Its destination: Vulcan.

McCoy sat in sickbay with Spock. The Vulcan laid on one of the beds, completely mute, eyes wide-open.

"Spock…for god sakes, talk to me!" McCoy said. But he would not speak.

_Remember…_

_Can't you talk out loud, instead of in my mind…?_

"You stuck this damn thing in my head, remember?"

The only answer was silence.

"Remember?" McCoy repeated.

"Now, tell me what to do with it!"

Spock still remained motionless, except for a blink of his eyes.

"Help me."

McCoy hoped Spock would at least raise his eyebrow in acknowledgement. Then Spock's mouth trembled slightly. He slurred…something.

"What?"

"Ssss…Sssaaaa…Saaaaviiiik…"

McCoy pulled away slowly and sat back in his chair. _Why is he saying her name? _He thought.

_Did they also meld at some point on Genesis?_

"I'm gonna tell you something I thought I'd never hear myself say. It seems I've…missed you. I don't know if I could stand to lose you again."

Spock did not answer back, nor did he say Saavik's name again.

_I'm starting to miss our usual bantering, Spock. I'm starting to miss that eyebrow raise, hell; I even miss your incessant use of words like "Illogical" and "Fascinating"._

_Well, I'm sure I'll be hearing that soon…and I'll probably regret saying that now. _He thought with a small chuckle.

The _Karzan _made its approach to the planet Vulcan. Kirk watched the planet through the viewscreen. Kirk had been here before; the last time, he and his crew had to help prevent Vulcan from succeeding from the Federation. McCoy had proved himself an excellent speech-giver then.

_Now, we're about to see how good he does with a _Katra _transfer, _he thought.

The agile ship made its way through the Cinnamon-colored clouds and towards Mount Seleya, the sun had fully risen.

_Hang in there, Spock. It won't be much longer now._


	30. Arrival On Vulcan

**Chapter 27: Arrival on Vulcan**

**Vulcan**

Inside the building known as The Hall of Ancient Thought, Uhura remained calm as time passed. She had just received word of the _Enterprise _crew's arrival

She was already well-aware that they were aboard a Romulan War Eagle, and that they were forced to sacrifice the _Enterprise. _The mental image of the magnificent ship exploding above Genesis made her wince.

Sarek's entry interrupted her thoughts, flanked by two guards. "Ambassador, they are on approach; they are requesting permission to land."

"Permission granted," Sarek said simply. "Tell them…tell _Kirk _we'll be ready."

_**Karzan/Vulcan**_

__The _Karzan _burst through the cloud cover and glided slowly between a series of tall rocks and approached the tall-standing Hall Of Ancient Thought, shaped like the IDIC symbol and dating back to the days of Surak.

As he sat down in his chair, Kirk noted, "Mister Sulu, you're on manual."

Sulu nodded, "It's been a while, sir."

Kirk smiled halfway, knowing Sulu was referring to piloting on manual. He also felt a hint of regret; this could be the last time he ever piloted a ship of any class. He would let him enjoy it while it lasted.

Sulu manipulated the console. "Here we go."

The War Eagle banked as flew lower into the wide canyon and approached the nearby landing pad, slowing down for a smooth landing.

"Retro-thrusters." Sulu said, pressing the thruster button.

The _Karzan _came to a full stop and hovered over the bright landing pad for a few seconds before firing the retro-thrusters and landing softly.

Ambassador Sarek eyed the cruiser grimly. It was a reminder that Romulans and Vulcans, common ancestors they may be, were far too separate. But that was a small afterthought compared to what was dominating his mind.

_Spock…my son, you will soon be alive and well again, _he thought.

The bitter contempt he had directed towards Kirk only days earlier was replaced with what passed for happiness in a Vulcan.

The _Karzan_'s ramp lowered. Kirk and his group sauntered down slowly.

Spock lay on a cot that the group held. Several guards stood before his team for escort.

After the Genesis affair, Kirk thought it best that Spock be carried in on a cot; he was more than likely exhausted.

Kirk and his team paused midway as they watched Uhura, flanked by a pair of guards, walking out of the shadows. Seeing it was safe, they walked down.

Uhura made her approach and embraced Kirk. He was grateful to see her again.

"How did you arrive here?"

Uhura cleared her throat. "I found some assistance from Captain Thelin of the _Saratoga._"

_Thelin? _Kirk thought, perplexed, _I didn't realize he was…around._

Pushing that aside, he listened to Uhura.

"Sarek is waiting above us, sir."

A few minutes later, Kirk and his team carried Spock into the altar in the Hall, along with Sarek, the Vulcan guard, and a large group of healers. A bald Vulcan calmly hit a gong.

Kirk eyed the building with fascination as he helped carry Spock's cot. The healer stood in the middle of the building with a towering V-shaped symbol that reminded Kirk of the famous hand gesture.

The elderly female healer whom Sarek called T'Lar stood in the middle of two beds, looking dignified and regal as she stared at the group entering the altar. Now, the building was nearly crowded.

Kirk moved to approach her, but was cut off by a Vulcan's staff.

He waited patiently with his team and Sarek. Only Spock was moved up on one of the beds.

The healer placed a single hand on Spock's forehead and said aloud, "_Kal-Tor-Fali-Kal."_

The gong sounded again as she removed her hand.

"Sarek," she said calmly. "Child of Skon, child of Solkar. The body of your son breathes still. What is your wish?"

Kirk listened to Sarek. "I ask for _Fal-Tor-Pan, _the re-fusion."

T'Lar remained silent for a second. "What you seek has not been done since ages past, and then, only in legend."

To Kirk, that sounded grim. _What if this doesn't work? _He wondered.

"Your request is not logical."

_Forget logic for the moment, my McCoy has Spock's _Katra _in his mind!_

"Forgive me, T'Lar," Sarek continued, "My logic…is uncertain where my son is concerned."

"Who is the keeper of the _Katra_?" T'Lar asked.

Kirk and Sarek both turned back.

McCoy composed himself. "I am. McCoy, Leonard H., son of David."

"McCoy, son of David, since thou art human, we cannot expect thee to understand fully what Sarek has requested. Spock's body lives. With your approval, we shall use all our powers to return to his body that which you possess.

"But McCoy, you must now be warned. The danger to thyself is as grave as the danger to Spock. You must make the choice."

Kirk waited for an answer. McCoy swallowed nervously the altar remained silent.

"I choose the danger." Then he stared at Kirk, obviously irritated and nervous. "Hell of a time to ask…"

Sarek gestured for McCoy to walk up the steps. As he did, Kirk watched nervously, hoping this would work, and McCoy and Spock would be normal again.

Kirk and his team filed in a straight line on the right side of the steps, on the left were Vulcan monks.

They all watched as McCoy laid himself on the other bed next to Spock's, and then they waited…

McCoy listened as T'Lar said a series of Vulcan phrases and the gong sounded multiple times. She stared down and calmly waited as T'Lar lowered her hand down on McCoy's forehead. He shuddered lightly as his mind was being opened. Then T'Lar placed her hand against the _Katra _points on Spock. McCoy closed his eyes as the transfer began.


	31. The Katra Ritual

**Chapter 28: The **_**Katra **_**Ritual**

_In his Mind, McCoy was no longer on Vulcan._

_He was in his dormitory in the University of Mississippi, studying various medical information…_

_He was an Ensign, standing arm-in-arm with Emony Dax…_

_He was sitting in his home with his wife, Jocelyn, and their daughter, Joanna._

_He was boarding the _U.S.S. Enterprise_ for the first time before departing for the Five-Year Mission replacing the retiring Doctor Mark Piper…_

_He was deactivating his father, David's life support before the incurable disease could take him away…_

_He was back in the _Enterprise's_ engineering section, feeling Spock's grip on his shoulder, falling down to the deck, the Vulcan's fingers pressed against his temple and saying only one word._

_Remember…_

_The word that invaded his mind only once from time to time now ran through his head like a mantra. Thunderclaps echoed above him as Spock's _Katra _was slowly being removed from his mind._

_Rememberrememberrememberreme mberemember…_

_It stopped, replaced by more loud thunderclaps and flashes of lightning. He knew his fellow officers were both mesmerized and a little scared as the procedure continued. He was also aware of Sarek, stoic as any Vulcan, taking in the noise._

_Sarek...Sarek...he loves you Spock..._

_Not logical..._

_It doesn't matter. It's not about logic...he loves you just as much as he loves Amanda...I see it in your childhood memories..._

_I do not see it..._

_But I do...  
There was a moment of silence._

_I do not belong here… Spock's voice said._

_No, you don't! McCoy retorted._

_I belong in my own body._

_Did you just now realize that, you stubborn Vulcan?!_

_More thunderclaps and lightning flashes invaded his mind._

The crew of the _Enterprise _only watched and waited…

Saavik shut her eyes and attempted to read Spock's mind, to see if his Katra had yet been restored. So far, she only encountered a dark, empty pit.

Kirk paced the area where his crew stood, already questioning whether or not the procedure failed. T'Lar was completely still as she kept her hands positioned on Spock and McCoy's heads.

_Spock, who had been silent and almost completely motionless for hours, suddenly felt his mind opening. There was a certain familiarity about what was entering. Memories were pouring through slowly._

_The ship named _Enterprise.

_Radiation._

_Khan._

_McCoy._

_Saavik..._

_Kirk…_

_The dark, empty pit filled up with his _Katra.

_Remember…_

_Remem…_

_Rem…_

_Spock's voice slipped out of McCoy's conscience like a fast-moving stream of water._

_And for the first time in days, he felt normal again…_


	32. Epilogue: Your name is Jim

**Epilogue: "Your name…is Jim."**

The bald Vulcan clashed the gong again. "Now we must wait." the elderly Vulcan told them. Kirk walked away to send a communications message to Starfleet. A complete debriefing is what it would be. He was sure the Romulans would have a debate with the Federation over the whole incident. Hopefully, war would be prevented. But it was over, Genesis was done.

Saavik walked around the temple thinking about her actions on the ship. _I lost all control, everything gone in an instant. I let my Romulan side get the best of me. I loved David and I had begun to empathize with Maricus until he had David killed. Where will I go now? What will I do? I will remain here on Vulcan and regain the control I lost. Am I Vulcan? Or am I Romulan?_

"...Saavik?" said a voice behind her. She turned around and saw Amanda Grayson standing under an archway. "You seem lost, can I help?" asked Amanda. "No...well, yes, I am lost. I don't know what to do now, except to stay on Vulcan. This is my home, but how I'll stay I do not know." Saavik replied.

"You can stay with me and Sarek in our home."

"Oh, no I..."

"No, don't try to argue it. I'm an illogical, stubborn human." Amanda smiled and extended her hand out to her. Saavik smiled back and took her hand. Amanda led her back to the others at the top of the temple. _Yes, this is my home. I am a Vulcan._

Kirk finished his report and sent the message to Starfleet. He wondered what the consequences of his actions would be and what the voyage home would be like. But his main focus was on Spock. He got back up to the top and saw T'Lar being carried out on her chair along with her fellow priestesses. Next came McCoy and Sarek; McCoy looked like he had been through a lot. He walked up to Kirk and said, "I'm alright Jim." and joined the others. "What about Spock?" Kirk asked Sarek. "Only time will answer." Kirk looked over to where Spock stood, now dressed in a white Vulcan robe. Sarek spoke to him again, "Kirk, I thank you. What you've done..."

"What I've done, I had to do."

"But at what cost? Your ship...your son..."

"If I hadn't tried...the cost would have been my soul."

Sarek nodded at him and walked over to Amanda. Kirk looked back at Spock and saw he was walking away with two priests. The hood of his robe was up so Kirk couldn't see his face. _At least he and McCoy are alive...but will he ever be the Vulcan I knew? _Kirk watched as Spock began to walk to the stairs and out of the temple but suddenly he stopped moving. Spock turned around and looked at Kirk. He removed his hood and stood there, looking puzzled. He slowly walked by his old shipmates. He looked at each one of them like he was unsure he knew them. They smiled back at him; hoping for some recognition. Finally Spock walked up to Kirk and for a moment they stood there in silence. Finally Spock spoke, "My Father tells me that you are my friend. You came back for me."

"You would have done the same for me."

"Why would you do this?"

"Because the needs of the _one _outweigh the needs of the _many._"

Spock nodded and began to walk away; he looked very confused about the whole situation. Suddenly he stopped and turned around again looking like he just remembered something. "I have been and always shall be...your friend." He told Kirk.

"Yes. Yes, Spock!"

"The ship...out of danger?"

"You saved the ship!" _And then I had to destroy it. _"You saved us all. Don't you remember?"

Spock looked as though he didn't, but suddenly, he walked over closer to Kirk. "Jim...your name is Jim." Spock finally said. "Yes." replied Kirk with a smile. Spock looked over to McCoy who tapped his head with his finger and smiled back. All of them came over to Spock smiling because they had gotten their friend back. Saying things like, "It's so good to see you again." and "We missed you." McCoy just leaned over and said, "Remember." Spock looked back at Kirk who just stood there smiling. Spock, now standing surrounded by his friends in the warmth of Mt. Seleya, only raised an eyebrow and said, "Fascinating."

The dour mood that Kirk had sensed among him and his crew ever since their Science Officer died had finally left, replaced with optimism as Spock, back from the dead, was among them again. No one knew how long their stay on Vulcan would last, but for the moment, everything was all right.

_**Space, the final frontier...**_

_**These are the continuing voyages of the Starship Enterprise...**_

_**Her ongoing mission: to explore strange new worlds...**_

_**to seek out new life and new civilizations...**_

_**To boldly go where no man has gone before...**_

**...AND THE ADVENTURE**

**CONTINUES...**


End file.
